Serial collisions and hydrochloric acid spill due to heavy snow… Conducted highway complex disaster response training

Two-way control near Chiak Rest Area on Jungang Expressway from 8 am to 6 pm today... Please drive on a detour

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Yang Jeong-woo = On the 11th, an on-site response training will be conducted near the Chiak Rest Area on the Jungang Expressway, assuming a traffic accident and hazardous chemical leak due to heavy snow.

According to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, the training on this day will involve 130 people from 14 civil, public, and military organizations, including the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Expressway Corporation, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Wonju City, the Gangwon Police Agency, and the Army Unit 6303, as well as 60 pieces of equipment, including snowplows, rescue vehicles, and helicopters.

Temperatures and precipitation are expected to be higher and higher than normal this winter due to El Niño. Due to the inflow of cold air due to the expansion of continental high pressure, temperature volatility increases and heavy snowfall is expected depending on the region.

The government prepared this training to inspect the cooperation system between related agencies in preparation for major highway accidents that may occur due to heavy snowfall in winter and to strengthen rapid accident handling and recovery capabilities.

In the training, it is assumed that a heavy snow warning is in effect throughout Gangwon-do, with 3 cm of snow falling per hour, with a cumulative snowfall of 20 cm, and a series of collisions between a hydrochloric acid transport tanker and a large bus near Chiak Rest Area, resulting in large-scale congestion and vehicle isolation.

Through training, the government intensively inspects the situation in response to complex disasters, including traffic control due to casualties and leakage of hazardous substances (hydrochloric acid), hazardous substance treatment and control work, rescue and first-aid, delivery of relief goods to stranded people, and mobilization of snow removal equipment and manpower.

In accordance with the drill, both directions of the Chiak Rest Area main line section of the Jungang Expressway will be completely blocked from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 11th. Vehicles trying to pass here must detour towards Chiak Rest Area Plaza.

Kim Gwang-yong, head of the Disaster and Safety Management Division of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, said, "We will make up for any shortcomings in the response process through training similar to actual combat. If a disaster due to heavy snow actually occurs, we will do our best to respond quickly and prevent casualties."