plant collapse-probe result

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The deadly collapse of a boiler tower at a power plant in Ulsan last November was caused by excessive cutting of support columns ahead of its planned demolition by explosives, according to a probe result released Friday.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport released the findings of an investigation committee into the deadly accident at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

A 63.4-meter-tall boiler tower at Unit 5 of the plant collapsed during preparations for demolition, killing seven workers and injuring two others.

Investigators found that too many support columns had been cut due to flawed structural assessments, leaving them unable to support the weight of the upper structure.

To prevent similar accidents, the committee suggested stricter on-site inspections, new technical standards for demolition work and tighter oversight of high-risk demolition projects.

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