Sampoong Department Store collapse
On June 29, 1995, the Sampoong Department Store in Seoul, South Korea collapsed due to a structural failure. The collapse killed 502 people and injured 937, making it the largest peacetime disaster in South Korean history. It was the deadliest non-deliberate modern building collapse until the 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse in Bangladesh.Construction on the building commenced in 1987 and was completed in 1990. The company initially contracted to build the structure withdrew after the chairman of Sampoong Group's construction division, Lee Joon, demanded changes to the concrete support columns that introduced structural concerns. Joon ultimately used his own company to complete construction. Investigators blamed the collapse primarily on the column specifications which were incorrect for a flat-slab building design. Joon was found guilty of criminal negligence and sentenced to 10.5 years in prison.
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Seochojungang-ro, Seoul Seocho 4(sa)-dong
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Latitude | Longitude |
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N 37.498333333333 ° | E 127.01333333333 ° |
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서초 아크로비스타
Seochojungang-ro
06599 Seoul, Seocho 4(sa)-dong
South Korea
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