At Lotte Hotel, worker falls to death while painting 20-meter-high ceiling

International news
A worker fell to his death during a nighttime painting operation at Lotte Hotel World in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, according to police on Friday.

The accident occurred around 11:48 p.m. on Thursday, when the worker, in a team of two, was painting a four-story-high ceiling inside the hotel on a scaffold lift. According to officials, one of the wires supporting the equipment snapped, causing him to fall from a height of 20 meters. The victim was not directly employed by the hotel but had been contracted through an outsourcing company.

He was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest, but was later pronounced dead.

Another man on the crane managed to avoid falling by holding on to the corner, but he sustained serious injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident, including whether safety regulations were followed during the painting operation. They are also working with labor authorities to determine if there were violations of laws such as the Serious Accident Punishment Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act.