A devastating fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory in Hwaseong city, near South Korea's capital, has resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, with four others injured and 15 still missing, according to Yonhap News Agency. Local fire official Kim Jin-young has warned that the death toll may rise further.
The fire, which broke out on Monday, initially claimed one life and critically injured two out of four people. As rescue operations continued, eight more bodies were found, increasing the death toll to 20. Kim Jin-young provided updates during a televised briefing, noting that many of the missing individuals are foreign nationals, including Chinese workers.
Massive explosion in South Korea after a Lithium battery factory exploded.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 24, 2024
At least 16 fatalities, 6 people missing after a fire broke out at the factory in Seoul before it exploded into a huge fireball.
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Kim revealed that mobile phone signals from the missing persons were traced to the second floor of the factory, indicating their possible location during the fire. South Korean media reported that the majority of the blaze had been extinguished, but the exact cause of the fire remains unknown. At the time of the incident, 102 workers were present at the factory.
Of the 23 individuals reported missing, 20 are believed to be foreigners, primarily Chinese nationals. The exact number remains uncertain as the daily attendance list was destroyed in the fire.
In response to the disaster, the government convened an urgent session of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. During the meeting, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min instructed all relevant government bodies and local administrations to mobilise every available resource to combat the fire and rescue survivors.
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