Large sections of ceiling finish material collapsed in a building in Daegu on Saturday, injuring 38 people, including nine who were taken to hospitals, officials said.
A kitchenware sales event for senior citizens was being held on the second floor of a four-story building in the southeastern city when the material fell from the ceiling at 10:16 a.m., according to Daegu firefighting and local district officials.
Sixty-six people fled the building, and of them, 38 sustained light injuries, such as abrasions, the officials said. Nine of the injured were transferred to hospitals, but no one was in critical condition.
Firefighters sent 60 personnel and used 14 pieces of equipment to search the premise for additional casualties, but none were found.
President Lee Jae Myung was briefed on the accident by the acting police chief and ordered relevant agencies to do everything to rescue any victims and handle the aftermath, according to his office.
Authorities said they plan to investigate the cause of the collapse.
The Daegu Metropolitan Policy Agency said it has formed a dedicated task force to investigate the accident. The team, consisting of some 33 personnel including officials from the serious accidents, forensic science and victims protection units, plans to conduct a joint on-site investigation Monday with the National Forensic Science and other related agencies.
"We will look into potential structural defects and whether safety measures were properly implemented," a police official said. (Yonhap)