Fire at lithium battery factory in South Korea leaves nine dead, 15 missing

Deadly fire at lithium battery factory in South Korea

A fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory in the city of Hwaseong, near the South Korean capital, left at least nine people dead, four injured and 15 others missing, according to various sources.

The fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. local time on Monday morning.

According to local fire official Kim Jin-young, the fire, which was largely extinguished, started after a series of battery cells exploded inside a warehouse containing about 35,000 units.

Initial reports indicated one dead and four injured, including two who were critically injured.

Rescuers later recovered eight more bodies, bringing the death toll to nine.

Search for missing people

Efforts to find the missing people continue.

Kim Jin-young said the cell phone signals of the missing people were traced to the second floor of the factory.

He noted that most of the missing people were foreign nationals, including Chinese workers.

At the time of the incident, 102 people worked at the factory.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

South Korean media reported that much of the fire had been brought under control.

Factory operation and response

The factory, run by battery manufacturer Aricell, suffered the fire following an explosion of battery cells.

Kim Jin-young provided details during a televised press briefing, confirming that nine people died and four others were injured, including two in critical condition.

The Yonhap news agency reported that around 20 bodies had been found, but official counts confirmed nine deaths.

Emergency response teams are continuing their efforts to manage the situation and provide assistance to the injured.

Authorities are also working to identify the exact cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage.

Security measures and impact on the industry

The incident highlights the potential dangers associated with the manufacturing and storage of lithium batteries.

Factories processing such materials are under surveillance to ensure safety protocols are followed to avoid similar occurrences.

The Aricell factory fire has raised concerns about safety measures in place at similar facilities.

The South Korean government should review and possibly improve 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 fire risks.