Daegu Mall Ceiling Collapse Injures 36

At about 10:16 a.m. Saturday, ceiling finishing material fell on the second floor of a four-storey building in Gwaneum-dong, Buk District, Daegu during a kitchenware sales event. All 66 people inside evacuated on their own. Nine were taken to hospitals. No life-threatening injuries were reported. Firefighters dispatched 14 vehicles and 60 personnel, searched the site, and found no additional casualties. Police managed traffic around the scene. The building was constructed in 1994 and its first floor previously housed a grocery store that suspended operations in September. Authorities are investigating the cause. Korean Herald and Newsday report 36 people injured. AP, The Independent, Oskaloosa Herald and ABC News report 38. Fire department official Yoon Jong-mi said it was highly unlikely anyone had suffered serious injuries. President Lee Jae Myung ordered officials to ensure a thorough rescue response, according to senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook instructed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency to mobilize equipment and personnel, identify nearby medical facilities, and swiftly transport the injured.