Ever since I was little, I've had a fear of going over a bridge. Stories like this are unlikely to provide me much comfort. A bridge collapsed killing four people and injuring multiple people in South Korea. It's important to note that the area was under construction, so that likely played a factor in the deadly disaster.
At least four construction workers in the country died. Meanwhile, six others got injured as well. Although the bridge seemed sturdy enough, it folded like a playing card in a moment's notice. The incident happened at 9:50 a.m. local time in Anseong. The bridge fold then collapsed down, smashing on top of the construction workers below.
According to local news site, Yonhap, four construction workers were killed in the bridge collapse. Meanwhile, five other people were injured. Prior to the collapse, eight construction workers had been working under the bridge.
A spokesperson from the National Fire Agency said, "All individuals who suffered injuries are currently being treated at hospitals." Meanwhile, Hyundai Engineering, a contractor for the construction site, said that it was helping authorities with the search and rescue efforts.
Not The First Bridge Collapse
In a statement, the contractor said, "We sincerely bow our heads in apology to those who lost their precious lives and were injured in the accident at our construction site. We are actively cooperating with the relevant authorities to ensure a prompt resolution on-site and to identify the cause of the accident."
It's a devastating tragedy but far from the first something like this has happened. For instance, in Florida, in 1980, a freighter collided with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge causing it to partially collapse.
"One of the things I remember the most is the victims," local Robert Raiola told WUSF. "They were innocent people, many traveling on vacation. Many going home from college to see their mom for Mother's Day. Many were headed to Miami. The bus that took off from Chicago was headed to Miami. And even those people that boarded the bus in St. Pete obviously had no idea that what was about to happen would suddenly bring their lives to a tragic end."
More recently, a ship collided with the he Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in 2024, causing several deaths and injuries.
