Ceiling collapse at Daegu building injures 38

Thirty-eight people suffered minor injuries Saturday when part of a ceiling collapsed at a building in Daegu, fire authorities said.

According to the Daegu Fire and Safety Headquarters and the Buk District Office, the incident occurred at 10:16 a.m. on the second floor of a four-story building in Gwaneum-dong, Buk District. At the time, a vendor was selling kitchenware and other goods to elderly customers when a section of the ceiling finish collapsed.

All 66 people inside evacuated the building on their own following the collapse. A total of 38 people were reported to have sustained minor injuries, with nine of them transported to hospitals. None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

Firefighters were dispatched to conduct a search and implement safety measures at the scene. A thorough search following the evacuation revealed no additional casualties.

Police also deployed officers around the site to manage traffic.

Built in 1994, the four-story building previously housed a grocery store on the first floor, which had suspended operations in September. Authorities plan to investigate the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the collapse.

President Lee Jae Myung earlier ordered all-out rescue and response efforts shortly after the incident, according to senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook had also instructed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency to mobilize all available equipment and personnel for rescue operations. She called on authorities to identify nearby medical facilities able to take in patients and to swiftly transport anyone found injured.