Fire at South Korea lithium battery factory kills nine, leaves 15 missing
Iain Hoey
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Deadly fire at South Korea lithium battery factory
A fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory in Hwaseong city, near South Korea’s capital, left at least nine people dead, four injured, and 15 others missing, as reported by various sources.
The fire broke out on Monday morning around 10:30 a.m. local time.
According to local fire official Kim Jin-young, the fire, which has mostly been extinguished, began after a series of battery cells exploded inside a warehouse containing approximately 35,000 units.
Initial reports indicated one death and four injuries, with two of the injured in critical condition.
Subsequently, rescue workers retrieved eight more bodies, raising the death toll to nine.
Search for missing people
Efforts to locate the missing individuals are ongoing.
Kim Jin-young stated that the mobile phone signals of the missing people were traced to the second floor of the factory.
He noted that most of the missing individuals were foreign nationals, including Chinese workers.
At the time of the incident, 102 people were reported to be working at the factory.
The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
South Korean media reported that much of the blaze has been controlled.
Factory operation and response
The factory, run by battery manufacturer Aricell, experienced the fire following an explosion of battery cells.
Kim Jin-young provided details in a televised briefing, confirming that nine people died and four others were injured, with two of them in critical condition.
Yonhap news agency reported that some 20 bodies were found, but official counts confirmed nine fatalities.
Emergency response teams are continuing their efforts to manage the situation and provide assistance to the injured.
The authorities are also working on identifying the exact cause of the fire and assessing the extent of the damage.
Safety measures and industry impact
The incident highlights the potential dangers associated with lithium battery manufacturing and storage.
Factories dealing with such materials are under scrutiny to ensure adherence to safety protocols to prevent similar occurrences.
The fire at the Aricell factory has raised concerns about safety measures in place at similar facilities.
The South Korean government is expected to review and possibly enhance regulations regarding the storage and handling of lithium batteries to prevent future incidents.
The focus will be on improving safety standards and emergency response mechanisms to protect workers and reduce the risk of fires.