Subway construction site in Gwangmyeong collapses; evacuation order issued for nearby residents

A subway construction site in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul, collapsed Friday, leaving one worker missing, with an evacuation order issued for residents living nearby, authorities said.

The site had been evacuated earlier in the day after authorities were alerted to the risk of collapse following the discovery of cracks in multiple pillars used in the construction of underground tunnels for the Sinansan Line.

The collapse occurred at 3:13 p.m., causing a section of the road above ground to cave in and damaging several nearby buildings.

Five workers conducting a safety inspection above ground were initially unreachable, but three were found safe, while another was said to be trapped underground. An excavator driver remains missing.

Meanwhile, the Gwangmyeong city government issued an evacuation order for residents in the vicinity, citing concerns over possible additional collapses. The city also requested that vehicles take alternate routes.

“An evacuation order was issued for residents of nearby apartment buildings,” Mayor Park Seung-won said during a press briefing. “Residents are currently being relocated to local schools and the civic gymnasium.”

Park added that the police and fire authorities are doing their utmost to rescue the missing individuals.