Rescue staff observe a second of silence after retrieving the physique of one of many staff trapped within the rubble of a boiler tower that collapsed on the Ulsan department of the Korea East-West Energy Co. on Nov. 6, 2025. (Choi Hyeon-su/Hankyoreh)
The rescue operation at a thermal energy plant in Ulsan the place a decommissioned boiler tower collapsed on Thursday got here to an finish on Sunday after retrieving just one extra physique from the rubble.
At 11:05 am on Sunday, the physique of a 44-year-old employee surnamed Kim was carried out of the Korea East-West Energy Co.’s Ulsan plant on a stretcher, wrapped in white fabric, amid the ruins of the tower’s twisted metal body. Rescue staff noticed a second of silence for the deceased, their heads hanging for a while.
Kim was found on Thursday at 3:14 pm, partially crushed beneath a collapsed construction, round 70 minutes after the tower fell. He was in a position to communicate on the time, speaking that he was having hassle respiratory.
The invention of Kim raised hopes that he and the others might be rescued. Rescue staff dug the bottom beneath him and reduce away the metal surrounding him. They had been in a position to give him painkillers and a blanket, however the strategy of extricating him took longer than anticipated. Unable to be revived by means of CPR, Kim was pronounced lifeless on the scene on Friday at 4:53 am.
On Sunday morning, round 54 hours after Kim died, firefighters recovered his physique. The choice was made amid preparations for dismantling two extra towers on the plant. As soon as the demolition begins, there’s a danger of one other tower collapse, so rescue staff can now not go into the collapsed construction to proceed rescue operations.
Firefighters engaged on the collapse website had been all withdrawn on Sunday afternoon, when preparations to weaken the construction of a neighboring boiler tower for demolition started.
The weakening course of entails chopping away sure buildings earlier than blasting your complete tower. The method was fully completed with Unit 4, and 75% completed with Unit 6. Unit 5 collapsed when round 90% of the weakening course of had been accomplished.
As soon as the preparation is full, explosives are hooked up to weakened pillars.
Detonation is predicted to happen in two to 3 days. Measures to stop further accidents ensuing from the explosion, comparable to eradicating sure pipes, had been additionally taken. Pipes in close by energy stations had been emptied of their LNG, and pipes had been cleaned utilizing nitrogen.
As soon as Models 4 and 6 are demolished, the stays of Unit 5 will probably be eliminated to facilitate the seek for extra survivors beneath the rubble.
To stop additional losses, the Central Catastrophe Administration Headquarters is planning on conducting simulations to foretell the assorted methods and angles at which rubble may fall after the explosions. The relations of individuals buried underneath the rubble will probably be included of their conferences, and authorities will supply updates on the rescue operation and its schedule.
When the tower collapsed final week, it buried seven staff within the rubble. Three have been confirmed lifeless, two are assumed lifeless, and one other two have but to be situated within the rubble.
By Joo Seong-mi, workers reporter; Jang Jong-woo, workers reporter
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