Daegu launches follow-up measures after ceiling collapse injures dozens in Buk-gu

Daegu city has begun pursuing follow-up measures to support victims and prevent a recurrence following a ceiling finishing material collapse at a building in Gwaneum-dong, Buk-gu.

According to the city Monday, it plans to operate a one-stop victim support center consolidating injury reporting, medical assistance and psychological support. Dedicated staff will be assigned on a one-to-one basis to each hospitalized patient and will provide close support until discharge.

If victims request it, the city will cover medical expenses upfront and then seek reimbursement from the party responsible for the accident.

Psychological recovery support is also continuing. The city began providing mental health assistance to victims and local residents through the Korean Red Cross on the day of the accident, and has since Monday been extending that support in coordination with the Buk-gu public health center.

Daegu is also moving to strengthen safety management of aging buildings. From this month through December, the city will conduct a joint public-private safety inspection of 1,743 small older buildings — those completed 30 or more years ago with a total floor area of between 500 and 1,000 square meters.

Inspection teams will focus on cracks, deformation, detachment, damage and water leaks in major structural elements and ceiling finishing materials. Where hazards are identified, the city will push for prompt safety measures and facility improvements.

A joint task force comprising the deputy mayor for administration, deputy heads of district and county governments, and private-sector architecture experts will be formed to oversee the inspections and discuss regulatory improvements.

The city also plans to share details of the accident with owners and managers of 22,435 neighborhood commercial facilities completed 30 or more years ago with a total floor area of 1,000 square meters or less, and to guide them through self-inspections and safety management education.

"We will do everything possible to provide upfront medical expense support and one-on-one dedicated care for hospitalized victims so that the injured can recover their health and return to daily life as soon as possible," Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho said. "We will also do our utmost to prevent similar accidents through intensive inspections of aging facilities and safety management education."

The accident occurred at 10:16 a.m. Saturday, when a suspended ceiling — a type of decorative ceiling finishing — collapsed in a second-floor promotional hall of a building in Gwaneum-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu.

Sixty-six elderly people were present at the scene at the time. As of 6 p.m. Sunday, 17 people were receiving hospital treatment, four of whom were admitted as inpatients.

The National Forensic Service and police conducted a joint on-site investigation Sunday, and the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.