Passerby falls into hole caused by burst hot water pipe in Magok... in critical condition with burns over 60% of body

Ground Subsides After Heat Transmission Pipe Bursts
Passerby Caught Appearing to Cross Cordon

A passerby suffered burns over 60% of his body on a road near an apartment complex in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, where a hot water pipe burst.

A man in his 40s fell into a sinkhole caused by ground subsidence at the site of a hot-water pipe rupture in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and suffered severe burns over his entire body. Gangseo-gu Office.

According to the fire authorities and Gangseo-gu Office on November 8, authorities were dispatched after receiving a report around 1 a.m. on November 7 that someone had suffered burns at the scene of the pipe burst. They took a man in his 40s, identified only as A, to a hospital. A reportedly fell into a hole caused by the burst pipe as he passed the scene, suffering second- to third-degree burns over 60% of his body. He is currently in critical condition and receiving treatment in an intensive care unit.

Footage from a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera at the time reportedly showed A crossing a yellow cordon and moving toward the scene before suddenly disappearing below ground. A yellow cordon about waist-high for an adult had been set up at the scene, but there was reportedly no separate safety fence to physically prevent the public from approaching. No personnel had reportedly been assigned to control access to the area.

Police are investigating whether safety measures at the scene were adequate and the specific circumstances of the accident, based on CCTV footage and other evidence.

At around 8:18 p.m. on November 6, a heat transmission pipe buried beneath a road near an apartment complex in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, burst. Steam rose from several parts of the road, and the ground subsided, causing a traffic light to topple and break.

Heating and hot water supplies were also cut off to 8,965 nearby households, causing major inconvenience for residents. One Seoul Energy Corporation employee who was inspecting the scene also suffered burns after stepping into a puddle of hot water. The corporation said, "We need to inspect the site to determine whether safety measures were in place," adding, "We are checking the facts with the workers who were there at the time."

Meanwhile, Seoul Energy Corporation carried out repair work overnight and resumed hot water and heating supplies at around 8:45 a.m. on November 7.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.