A portion of the Seosomun elevated road in Seoul collapsed during demolition work on Tuesday, killing at least one person [3].
The accident occurred at a site that had been under active removal since September 2025 [5]. Because the structure was previously designated as safety-grade D, the collapse highlights the risks associated with dismantling severely degraded urban infrastructure.
The collapse happened around 2:30 p.m. in the Mi-geun-dong area of Seodaemun-gu [1]. Fire department officials and rescue crews responded to the scene to extract workers trapped under the fallen debris [1].
Reports on casualties vary between sources. One report states two people died and four were injured [1]. Another briefing indicated that among four people rescued, one died and three were injured [3, 4].
The Seosomun elevated road measured 335 meters in length and 14.9 meters in width [6, 7]. Demolition crews had completed approximately 89% of the removal process before the structure gave way [8].
"Currently, among the four rescued, it has been identified that one person died," Lee Jong-un of YTN said [3].
The site was already a restricted zone due to the ongoing demolition of the safety-grade D structure [5]. Authorities are now investigating whether the collapse was caused by a failure in the support systems used during the final phase of removal.
“A portion of the Seosomun elevated road in Seoul collapsed during demolition work on Tuesday, killing at least one person.”
The collapse of a structure already rated as safety-grade D underscores the volatility of 'end-of-life' infrastructure. Even when a project is nearly complete—in this case, 89% finished—the remaining structural integrity can fail unpredictably, necessitating stringent safety protocols for workers during the final stages of urban demolition.
