A mart in Gwaneum-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu, where the ceiling collapsed on Oct. 10. Photo courtesy of the Daegu Fire and Safety Headquarters
A section of the ceiling collapsed at a supermarket in Gwaneum-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu, at about 10:16 a.m. on the 10th, leaving more than 30 people injured. None of the injuries were life-threatening, but about nine people were taken to hospitals.
According to the Daegu Fire Headquarters and other agencies, the ceiling of the supermarket in Gwaneum-dong caved in, prompting shoppers to evacuate. All 66 visitors inside the store at the time left the building on their own after the collapse. Thirty-six people suffered minor injuries while evacuating. Of those injured, nine have been transported to hospitals so far.
“We understand that people were startled and were scratched by building debris as they evacuated,” a fire official said.
Fire authorities searched the store after all visitors had evacuated and found no additional casualties or other unusual findings.
Authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the collapse and the extent of the damage after completing the search.
President Lee Jae-myung instructed relevant agencies on the same day to “devote all efforts to rescuing people and leave nothing undone in responding to the accident.”