Home > National > Social Affairs

Ceiling collapse at Busan mall prompts emergency evacuation

Published: 31 May. 2026, 18:33 Updated: 31 May. 2026, 19:13

Part of the ceiling has collapsed in the food hall on the basement level of Lotte Department Store’s Centum City branch in Haeundae District, Busan, at around 3:03 p.m. on May 31. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY FIRE AND DISASTER HEADQUARTERS]

A section of the ceiling collapsed at a mall in Busan on Sunday afternoon, forcing the emergency evacuation of around 100 customers and staff, though no injuries were reported.

The collapse occurred at approximately 3:03 p.m. in the basement food hall of Lotte Department Store's Centum City branch in Haeundae District, according to authorities.

The store closed early following the incident to allow for a safety inspection.

"It appears the accident was caused by a cooling water pipe becoming dislodged," the mall's spokesperson said. "We are working to determine the exact cause of the incident."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK JONG-SUH. [[email protected]]