The Seongsu Bridge collapse (聖水大橋崩壞事故, Seongsu Bridge Disaster) was an accident on October 21, 1994, in which the upper truss of the Seongsu Bridge, managed by the City of Seoul, South Korea, collapsed into the Han River. It caused a total of 49 casualties, with 32 people dead and 17 injured, and is counted among the worst disasters in South Korean history. Together with the Sampoong Department Store collapse and the Wau Apartment collapse, it is known as one of South Korea's three major collapse accidents.
Accident details
At about 7:38 a.m. on October 21, 1994, approximately 50 m of the upper truss between the 10th and 11th piers collapsed downward.
A minibus and two passenger cars traveling through the accident site fell into the Han River together with the suspended truss. Two passenger cars that were on the bridge plunged into the water. A City Bus No. 16 operated by Hansung Transport, which was passing the site, had its rear wheels on the collapsed section. The bus overturned and fell, and was then crushed when it was struck by the fallen deck. As a result, students on their way to school and other passengers were suddenly killed. In particular, 29 of the 31 passengers on the bus died in the fall.123
Among the vehicles involved, the minibus was carrying riot police officers who were heading to headquarters to receive commendations as an outstanding unit on the 49th Police Day. All of them fortunately survived unharmed, and they devoted themselves to rescuing those in need of help.45
Causes of the collapse
Inadequate inspection and internal corrosion of the bridge
When Seongsu Bridge was built, it was constructed as a truss bridge. The truss method was prone to collapse if joints were improperly made, and detailed components such as joint pins, which are essential for safe construction, were supposed to be inspected periodically. Nevertheless, these safety inspections were neglected.6
The main causes of the Seongsu Bridge accident were identified as poor welding and inadequate maintenance of the connecting joints of the trusses that support the bridge deck. At the time of construction, the trusses forming the lower part of the bridge were not properly connected, the connecting parts were severely rusted, and the joints that distribute the pressure on the bridge were also defective.7
In addition, there were problems during the bolt insertion process. In particular, because bolts were forcibly inserted, the shape of the holes was deformed, which weakened the strength of the bolts.891011
Passage of overloaded vehicles
The design load of the Seongsu Bridge before the collapse was DB-18 (gross weight 32.1 t). However, overloaded vehicles exceeding this limit frequently passed over it, so the Seongsu Bridge was subjected to the weight of vehicles over 40 t. The collapse was therefore foreseeable.12
In particular, in 1993, one year before the collapse, the Dongbu Arterial Road (the section from Seongsu Bridge to Uijeongbu) opened, and traffic volume increased sharply. However, the Seoul city government did not offer any notable countermeasures.13
Damage
This accident, which caused a total of 49 casualties, including 32 deaths (16 men and 16 women) and 17 injuries, was widely reported overseas, including in the United States and Japan. It dealt a major blow to the construction industry and seriously damaged the national image.
Among the 32 deaths, eight were students of Muhak Girls' High School, one was a student of Muhak Girls' Middle School (now Muhak Middle School), and one was a student of Seoul National University of Education. Among the dead was Filipino Adel Aida, who was the one foreigner among the victims.14 15
After the accident
Establishment of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Countermeasures Headquarters
Immediately after the accident, the Seoul Metropolitan Government set up a countermeasures headquarters. It organized eight teams under the Mayor of Seoul as head of the headquarters and began its activities.1617
Rescue operations
Traffic was controlled by the police. Fire brigades and 119 rescue teams dispatched ambulances to rescue the casualties. Maritime rescue teams sent diving personnel to recover bodies. The dead were placed in 15 hospitals, and the injured were transported to six hospitals.18
Traffic management
After the Seongsu Bridge collapse, traffic volume was redistributed after reviewing options. Detour signs were installed to divert traffic to Yeongdong Bridge and Dongho Bridge, traffic signal cycles were adjusted, and the routes of city buses that had passed over Seongsu Bridge were also changed.
Dismissal of the Mayor of Seoul
On the evening of the day of the accident, at 7 p.m., Lee Won-jong, the Mayor of Seoul, was dismissed to take responsibility for the accident. Woo Myung-kyu was appointed mayor, but it was revealed that he had been the official in charge when Seongsu Bridge was built, and he resigned voluntarily after 11 days. On November 3, Choi Byung-ryul took office as mayor.
Reconstruction
After the collapse, civil engineering experts suggested that the parts that had not collapsed could be repaired and used as they were. However, taking public sentiment into account, the decision was made to rebuild the bridge. Construction by Hyundai Engineering & Construction began on April 26, 1995. Only the straight lanes were completed on July 3, 1997. Because an expansion project had been planned afterward, the ramps were not built at that time.
The expansion project was eventually carried out. On December 31, 1998, the bridge was widened and lengthened, and new entrance ramps were built. It was finally completed in September 2004, and it remains in use today.
Meanwhile, as a result of the aftershocks of the Seongsu Bridge collapse, safety inspections were also carried out on the Dangsan Railway Bridge, which was built with the same truss method. Demolition and reconstruction began on January 1, 1997, and the bridge was reopened on November 22, 1999, and remains in use today.
Related works
Music
- Singer: DJ DOC
- Album: 《2nd Album Murphy's Law》
〈Door of the World Part 1 - End of Childhood Part 2 - Behold the World We Made〉 (September 1995)
1. Singer: N.E.X.T
2. Album: 《3rd Album The Return of N.EX.T Part 2: World》
Films
- 《Cheongpodo Candy: Promise 17 Years Ago》 (September 2012)
- Director: Kim Hee-jung
Television dramas
- In the drama, Na Jin-a (played by Ha Yeon-soo) loses her father (played by Kang Nam-gil) in this incident and appears in the role of a character who is afraid of the night.
- In the fifth episode, a scene appears that is reminiscent of the Seongsu Bridge collapse, under the name Hanyoung Bridge.
TV programs
References
- Seongsu Bridge Collapse Cause Investigation Committee Activity White Paper (1995)
Footnotes