Man in 40s critically injured after hot water pipe bursts in Seoul

A man in his 40s suffered burns over 60 percent of his body after falling into a hole created by a ruptured underground heating pipe in western Seoul, authorities said Sunday.

The accident occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday on a road near an apartment complex in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The area had been cordoned off while repair work was underway after the pipe ruptured at 8:18 p.m. Friday.

Surveillance footage shows the man approaching the site, stepping over a rope barrier and walking toward the crosswalk before suddenly disappearing into the hole.

The footage also shows steam rising from the collapsed section of the road, a toppled traffic light, and several maintenance workers and pieces of equipment at the scene.

Local reports said the man suffered second- and third-degree burns and remains in critical condition in intensive care.

An employee of Seoul Energy Corp. also suffered burns after stepping into pooled hot water while inspecting the site.

Authorities are looking into whether adequate safety measures were put in place to prevent people from entering the area during repair work.

The rupture left 8,965 nearby households without heating or hot water.