- A fire broke out at a lithium battery manufacturing plant near Seoul, South Korea, on Monday, leaving at least 16 people dead, seven injured and six missing.
- Rescue workers from the factory in Hwaseong thoroughly searched the scene and then retrieved the bodies.
- A total of 102 people were working at the factory before the fire.
A fire broke out at a lithium battery manufacturing factory near South Korea’s capital on Monday, leaving at least 16 people dead, seven injured and six missing, authorities said.
Rescue workers from the factory in Hwaseong, southern Seoul, retrieved the body after thoroughly searching the site, local fire official Kim Jin-young told a televised news conference.
Kim Jong Un had previously said most of the missing were foreigners, including Chinese.
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He said the missing people’s mobile phone signals had been traced to the second floor of the factory. Kim said witnesses had told authorities that the batteries had exploded and started the fire as workers were inspecting and packing them, but the exact cause would be investigated.
Firefighters work at the scene of a fire at a lithium battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, South Korea, on June 24, 2024. (Hong Ki-won-ji/Associated Press via Yonhap News Agency)
Kim said the people found dead were likely unable to escape to the ground floor using the stairs, and that authorities would investigate whether the fire extinguishing system worked.
Kim said a total of 102 people were working at the factory before the fire broke out.
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President Yoon Seok-youl’s office said he had earlier ordered authorities to mobilize all available personnel and equipment to search for survivors.
