Overview
- A fire inside a wind turbine at a Yeongdeok wind power complex in North Gyeongsang Province left three workers dead, according to local police and fire officials.
- Crews deployed 11 helicopters and 148 personnel as two blades burned and fell and flames spread to a nearby hill, with containment estimated at about 70 percent and entry into the tower reported difficult.
- Mayor Kim Gwang-yeol said he will ask the central government to dismantle all remaining turbines at the 24-unit, 39.6 megawatt site because most have been in service for more than 20 years.
- The call follows a Feb. 2 failure at the same farm where another turbine snapped and collapsed onto a road, which led authorities to run focused safety checks on 80 older or similar-model machines nationwide.
- Investigators are examining the cause as civic groups question evacuation gear and emergency steps for workers who reach the nacelle by an internal lift, and the growing share of older turbines may force more inspections or retirements.