Three sanitation workers riding in a garbage truck were killed after it collided with a 25-ton dump truck at an intersection in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, in the early morning hours.

According to police and other authorities today (August 19), the accident occurred at 4:03 a.m. at Dodong Intersection in Yeongcheon.

The 70-year-old male driver of the dump truck also sustained serious injuries and was transported to the hospital.


Due to the impact of the crash, the front part of the garbage truck was torn off and heavily damaged, while the dump truck overturned onto its left side.

The three deceased individuals consist of two people in their 60s and one in their 40s. They were identified as sanitation workers employed by a company contracted to collect household waste for Yeongcheon City.

They reportedly collected garbage across five neighborhoods in downtown Yeongcheon every day, and the accident occurred while they were heading to their work site for early morning cleaning duties.

Police and other authorities stated that the two vehicles collided as they entered Dodong Intersection, which was operating under flashing traffic signals at the time.

Dodong Intersection operates with flashing signals from midnight to 5:00 a.m.

Police are currently investigating the exact cause of the accident, including the directions the two vehicles were traveling, by analyzing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and vehicle dashcam recordings.

(Photo provided by Yeongcheon City, Yonhap News)