Gwangju: A steel structure collapsed at a library construction site in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Thursday, resulting in the death of one worker and leaving three others trapped, authorities reported. The incident was called in at 1:58 p.m., leading firefighters to the site where they rescued a 47-year-old worker. He was transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest but was later pronounced dead.

According to Yonhap News Agency, efforts are ongoing to rescue a second worker whose location has been identified, while the whereabouts of the two other workers remain unknown. Firefighting officials indicated that the collapse occurred during the pouring of ready-mixed concrete.

A construction site official mentioned to Yonhap News Agency that the collapse involved the rooftop of the second floor falling to the first floor, with no interim supports in place. The library, currently under construction, is a project by the Gwangju metropolitan government on the grounds of a former waste incineration plant.

The project, valued at 51.6 billion won (US$35 million), is intended to encompass a total floor area of 11,286 square meters, featuring two stories above ground and two basement levels.