EAST ASIA – Emergency crews were combing through a fire-ravaged car parts factory in Daejeon on Saturday, searching for three missing workers after a blaze killed at least 11 people and injured dozens more.
Authorities said 25 people were seriously injured, 34 sustained minor injuries, and three workers remained missing. Around 170 workers were at the plant when the fire broke out at approximately 13:00 local time on Friday.
Fire crews initially could not enter the building due to collapse risks. The response was further complicated by sodium stored at the site, which can explode if improperly handled, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.
Officials have not confirmed the cause of the fire, which spread rapidly through the facility in the central city. A witness reported hearing an explosion before the blaze took hold.
The fire was extinguished by Saturday afternoon. Images showed thick black smoke rising from the site as crews used cranes to spray water onto the building.
President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to mobilise all available resources, including personnel and equipment, for rescue operations.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about industrial safety in South Korea. More than 10 000 workers died on the job between 2000 and 2024, according to official statistics. Lee has advocated for stronger worker protections.
In September, a South Korean court sentenced the chief executive of battery manufacturer Aricell to 15 years in prison over a factory fire in 2024. That blaze at a lithium battery facility in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, killed 22 people, most of them Chinese nationals. The Suwon District Court ruled the company had prioritised profit over worker safety.
You must be logged in to post a comment.