Authorities investigating the collapse of a bridge at a highway construction site in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, have launched a joint investigation into the construction firms involved.
Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency’s special task force on the collapse conducted search and seizure operations on Friday at seven locations, including: the headquarters and site offices of Hyundai Engineering, the main contractor; Korea Expressway Corporation, the project owner; and subcontractors Jangheon Industry and Kangsan Development.
The raid, which began at 9:30 a.m., also involved officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, who participated in securing documents and materials relevant to the probe.
The investigation follows the deadly accident on Feb. 25, when one of the bridge's girders supporting the structure collapsed at the construction site for Seoul-Sejong Expressway's Cheongnyongcheon Bridge in Anseong’s Seoun-myeon area.
The collapse killed four workers and injured six others as they fell or were buried under the fallen bridge. Authorities are now focusing on identifying possible safety violations and determining accountability for the collapse.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
