Dozens of shoppers were injured after large sections of a ceiling suddenly crashed down inside a commercial building in South Korea, sending frightened customers scrambling for safety.
The collapse happened at about 10:16 a.m. local time Saturday, Oct. 10, on the second floor of a four-story building in Gwaneum-dong in Daegu, a major city in southeastern South Korea.
A kitchenware sales event aimed largely at senior citizens was underway when ceiling finishing materials suddenly gave way.
Authorities said 66 people were inside the building at the time. All managed to get out, but 38 suffered minor injuries, including cuts and abrasions. Nine people were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Officials said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
Witnesses described a terrifying scene as sections of the ceiling began falling within seconds.
One 79-year-old shopper said he immediately ran when he saw the ceiling starting to cave in, describing the collapse as happening with frightening speed.
Another shopper, identified as 77-year-old Lee, recalled the building suddenly going dark as debris came down around him.
Lee said he feared he was going to die and managed to crawl toward safety while using his hands and arms to shield himself from falling ceiling material.
Emergency crews rushed to the building after receiving reports of the collapse. Approximately 60 firefighters and 14 pieces of emergency equipment were deployed as rescuers searched the property for anyone who might have been trapped beneath the debris.
No additional victims were found.
Photos from the scene showed large pieces of ceiling material scattered across the floor, with sections of the overhead structure exposed.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was briefed on the accident and ordered authorities to use all available resources to assist victims and handle the aftermath.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined.
Daegu police have formed a 33-member investigative team that includes serious-accident investigators, forensic specialists and victim-support personnel.
Authorities are expected to examine several possible factors, including aging ceiling materials, structural problems, corrosion, water leaks, the weight of equipment installed above the ceiling and whether required safety measures had been properly followed.
Investigators are also expected to conduct a joint inspection of the building with forensic and other government agencies.
The four-story structure was built in 1994. A grocery business that had previously operated on the first floor stopped operating there in September.
For now, officials have not publicly identified any specific defect or person responsible for the collapse.
The investigation will focus on determining why such a large section of the ceiling failed and whether warning signs or maintenance problems existed before Saturday’s frightening accident.
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