Yeouido IFC Mall 40’s investment… The high-rise building safety device in the middle

A man in his 40s made an extreme choice at the Yeouido IFC Mall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and died.

According to the police and fire departments on the 17th, at about 4:18 pm on the 15th, Mr. A in his 40s transferred from the 1st basement level to the 3rd basement level inside the IFC Mall building. It is said that some citizens who came to shop at the time saw the situation. Mr. A was moved to a nearby hospital, but died. The police are grasping the reasons why Mr. A made an extreme choice.

The structure of the IFC Mall, which Mr. A made an extreme choice, is an indoor high-rise structure with railings on each floor of the shopping mall and an open center. The open ceiling makes the interior space look more spacious. Not only the IFC Mall, but also the Lotte World Tower Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, has a similar structure. Experts say that most of these buildings are equipped with minimal safety devices for aesthetic reasons of interior construction.

Yeouido IFC Mall. [중앙포토]

“According to the regulations on housing construction standards, general railings should be 120cm or more and 90cm or more for places with low risk,” said Gong Ha-seong, a professor at Woosuk University’s Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention. It needs to be raised,” he explained.

Professor Gong said, “Similar accidents occurred even in the gap going up the stairs, so there are places where nets were installed. If there was a net or at least it would have prevented the extreme selection in that place.” Said. He added, “It is best for safety personnel to be alert in situations where there is a perception that it is not good aesthetically and there is no legally clear standard for installation obligations.”

Vessel Building in New York, USA [허드슨 야드 홈페이지]

Extreme selection indoors in high-rise buildings is an issue both domestically and abroad. According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 12th (local time), a man in his twenties invested in The Vessel, an architecture and tourist attraction in Manhattan, New York. It is said that three investment accidents have occurred in Vessel in the past year. It is counted as a tourist spot with a view of New York and the Hudson River, but as the accident continued, the beauty and safety of the building became the center of controversy.

The community committee to which the building belongs has told NYT that “raising the height of the railing is the best way to prevent attempts at extreme options.” It is said that the committee has proposed a plan to increase the railing since last year. An official from the vessel development company said, “We will close the vessel for the time being and prepare related measures, including psychiatrists.”
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