A police-obtained report reveals the Seosomun elevated roadway deck in Seoul had sunk 2.9 cm 12 hours before it collapsed [1].
The discovery suggests that warning signs of the structural failure were documented by officials and construction companies shortly before the disaster. This timeline raises questions about why the roadway remained open or why emergency measures were not accelerated.
According to a report obtained by YTN News, photographs in the document show a distinct height difference at the girder connection points [1]. Measurement equipment recorded a subsidence of 29 mm [1]. The report said that the deck had subsided, which prompted safety-diagnostic investigations into the structure [1].
To address the sagging, the report said that officials planned to install anti-tilt plates to minimize further movement [1]. These plates were intended to stabilize the roadway, and prevent the deck from shifting further [1].
Seoul police and city officials are now reviewing the timing of these findings. The report confirms that the physical deformation of the roadway was known and measured 12 hours before the eventual collapse [1].
Reporter Lee Su-bin of YTN News said the photos in the report clearly show the height difference that occurred 12 hours before the collapse [1]. Lee said the report included plans for the installation of anti-tilt plates to minimize the sagging [1].
“The roadway deck had sunk 2.9 cm twelve hours before it collapsed.”
The existence of a documented measurement of 29 mm subsidence just 12 hours before the collapse shifts the focus of the investigation from unforeseen structural failure to a potential failure in emergency response. If officials were aware of the sagging and had already planned mitigation measures like anti-tilt plates, the investigation will likely center on why the risk was not deemed critical enough to trigger an immediate closure of the roadway.
