Narrow Escape by 10 Seconds: CCTV Captures Collapse of Boritdol Bridge in Pohang

"There was a loud bang, and the bridge suddenly collapsed."

Today (July 28) afternoon, Boritdol Bridge in Janggil-ri, Guryongpo-eup, Nam-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, collapsed in an instant accompanied by a loud roar. Subsequent calls to 119 poured in reporting, "The bridge has collapsed" and "People are stranded."

About 50 meters of the bridge, spanning two piers, plunged into the sea, temporarily trapping 17 anglers. However, rescue workers arrived 12 minutes after the report and rescued all of them with the help of private fishing boats.

CCTV footage of the accident obtained by media outlets that day clearly captured the moment the center of the bridge sagged first, followed by a chain-reaction collapse of the deck, as well as a pedestrian turning back just seconds before the collapse.

Fortunately, no one was crossing the bridge at the exact moment of the collapse, averting major casualties.

Lee, a 62-year-old cafe owner near the accident site, reportedly rushed outside upon hearing the sudden loud noise.

Lee said, "I was working inside the shop when I heard a massive bang." They added, "When I looked out at the sea, a huge pillar of water shot up, so I initially thought it was just water splashing from a passing boat."

Lee continued, "When I looked closer, however, the bridge was gone. I was so terrified and my first thought was whether anyone might have been hurt," adding, "Even so, I was so shocked that I couldn't pull myself together for a while."

The accident was fully captured on CCTV.

The footage shows that the bridge did not snap in half all at once; instead, the center sank downward first, followed by the left and right decks buckling in a chain reaction, plunging into the sea in an instant resembling the shape of the letter 'W'.

It also captured a pedestrian walking about 10 meters away from the collapse point hastily turning back as the bridge gave way right before their eyes.

Pohang City confirmed through CCTV analysis that this pedestrian witnessed the accident and safely turned around.

About 70 officials from Pohang City, fire authorities, the police, and the Korea Coast Guard were deployed to the accident site to control the collapsed section, investigate the cause, and carry out safety measures.

Looking at the collapsed bridge, officials could not hide their dismay, noting that "it could have easily led to massive casualties."

An official from Pohang City stated, "Had they crossed just 10 seconds earlier, it could have led to a major accident," adding, "It was sheer luck."

Boritdol Bridge, where the accident occurred, is a maritime pedestrian bridge completed in 2013, standing 10 meters tall and measuring 225 meters in total length (with a 170-meter marine section).

While citizens and tourists are usually allowed to cross, Pohang City reported that access to the facilities around the rock outcrop at the end of the bridge had been restricted for safety inspections.

At the time of the accident, 17 anglers were on the rock outcrop and became temporarily stranded when the bridge was severed.

Before the Coast Guard arrived, firefighters who reached the scene first coordinated with private fishing boats to rescue them one by one.

All 17 stranded individuals were rescued by 2:01 PM, and there were no injuries.

Boritdol Bridge received a Grade C rating in a recent safety inspection and underwent repair and reinforcement work last year, it was confirmed.

Pohang City is investigating the exact cause of the collapse, considering factors such as the potential accumulation of structural fatigue from continuous exposure to waves characteristic of the coast, as well as the recent heatwave.

Fire authorities mobilized diving equipment to conduct an underwater search around the collapse site.

The initial search did not find any additional victims.

A police official stated, "It has been confirmed that there were no pedestrians on the bridge at the moment of the collapse," adding, "No casualties have been identified so far."

The Coast Guard deployed diving personnel to repeatedly search the waters around the collapsed section to check for any additional accidents.

Following this accident, Pohang City decided to conduct emergency safety inspections on similar facilities, including marine observation decks and pedestrian bridges in the region such as the Igari Anchor Observatory, and restrict access until the inspections are completed.

A city official said, "We will comprehensively re-inspect the safety of similar facilities to ensure that a similar accident does not happen again."

The police plan to investigate the exact circumstances and cause of the accident.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.