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A 60-meter boiler tower at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan thermal power plant lies collapsed after an accident during demolition work in Nam-gu, Ulsan, on November 6. / Source: Yonhap News

A boiler tower at the Ulsan thermal power plant operated by Korea East-West Power Co. collapsed Thursday afternoon, trapping several workers under the rubble. President Lee Jae-myung has ordered all available resources mobilized for rescue operations.

The accident occurred at around 2:02 p.m. on November 6 at the company’s plant in Namhwa-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan. The 60-meter-high steel-frame boiler tower was undergoing demolition work when it suddenly gave way.

Nine workers were buried beneath the debris. As of 4 p.m., firefighters had rescued two men—one in his 60s and another in his 40s—both suffering serious injuries and receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Two others have been located but remain trapped, while five workers’ whereabouts are still unknown.

Rescue teams have deployed search dogs and drones to locate the missing workers amid the wreckage. “Our priority is rescuing the buried workers,” a fire official said. “The exact cause of the collapse is still under investigation.”

Authorities from the Ministry of Labor and the police are examining whether the accident constitutes a violation of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. “Once the site is secured, we will investigate the precise cause and determine possible legal violations,” a police representative said.

President Lee Jae-myung instructed government agencies to mobilize all available manpower and equipment for rescue operations. In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment have set up a Central Disaster Response Headquarters to coordinate emergency measures.