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A shocking incident took place in Yeongdeok, along the eastern coastline of Gyeongsangbuk-do, where a massive wind turbine tower fell and buried a roadway.

Approximately 4:40 p.m. on the 2nd, at a wind energy facility located inside Byeolparang Park in Changpori, Yeongdeok-gun, the middle part of an 80-meter-tall wind turbine tower broke off, leading to the tower and blades falling onto a road within the park. Fortunately, no one was injured since the park’s exhibition hall was closed, resulting in very little vehicle movement at that time.

The accident has caused a road blockage, rendering it currently impossible for vehicles to pass. Wind speeds at the time of the accident ranged from 5 to 7 meters per second. A representative from Yeongdeok County mentioned, “Working together with the police, we have chosen to enforce continuous vehicle restrictions on a 1.6 km stretch of the accident area to avoid further incidents until the cause is determined.”

As reported by Yeongdeok County and eyewitnesses, the turbine’s blades were spinning when the support column for the generator unexpectedly broke. It was discovered that debris, including turbine blades, dropped onto the road, almost hitting vehicles that were passing by just moments later, thus preventing a possible catastrophe.

The wind energy facility, finished in 2005, consists of 24 generators each with a capacity of 1,650 kW. The infrastructure was produced and set up by Vestas, a firm based in Denmark. Turbine No. 21, which was part of the incident, has been functioning for more than 20 years starting from May 2005. The turbine reaches about 80 meters in height, with each blade extending 41 meters. The turbine tower is constructed from steel, whereas the blades are made of carbon fiber. It was engineered to handle wind speeds as high as 20 meters per second, comparable to a moderate typhoon.

The incident is thought to have taken place when one of the turbine blades broke apart. A representative from Yeongdeok County stated, “After examining the video with the construction company, it seems that the blades, which were rotating strongly, split apart, resulting in an imbalance that hit the column and caused the accident.” They further noted, “Bamboo can break, but it doesn’t rip. Considering the blade’s material, it shouldn’t rip under any conditions, so our investigation is focusing on this issue.”

It is understood that wind turbine blades typically last about 20 years. The turbine involved in the incident is currently in its 21st year of use this year. Recent safety checks reportedly did not reveal any problems.

Yeongdeok County intends to examine licensing matters with the construction firm and carry out safety checks on 23 turbines within the wind energy facility, working together with the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment.