Rescue workers are searching through the remains of a factory near South Korea’s capital to find more victims after a deadly fire on Monday. The fire, likely caused by exploding lithium batteries, killed 22 people, mostly Chinese migrant workers.
More than 100 people were working at the factory in Hwaseong City, just south of Seoul, when the fire started on Monday morning. Security cameras showed smoke filling the second floor of the factory soon after sparks were seen in an area where lithium batteries were stored, according to fire officials.
One victim was pronounced dead at a hospital, and firefighters found 21 more bodies in the factory later on Monday. Among the victims, 18 were Chinese, two were South Korean, and one was Laotian. The nationality of one victim is still being confirmed.
Many Chinese people, including ethnic Koreans, have moved to South Korea to find jobs since the countries established diplomatic ties in 1992. These migrant workers often take on difficult and dangerous jobs that many South Koreans avoid, such as working in factories, construction sites, and restaurants.
Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming visited the factory site on Monday night and expressed condolences to the victims. Police are using DNA samples from the bodies and their relatives to confirm their identities.
One factory worker is still missing, but his mobile phone signal was detected in the building on Monday afternoon. Eight people were injured in the fire, with two in serious condition.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol also visited the factory site on Monday. He expressed condolences to the victims and ordered officials to implement measures to prevent battery-related fires in the future.
On Tuesday, more than 50 firefighters, aided by two rescue dogs and special equipment, continued searching the burned factory, local fire official Kim Jin-young said in a televised briefing. Partial remains have been found, but it is not yet known if they belong to the missing person.
A team of fire, police, and other experts will investigate the site on Tuesday to determine the exact cause of the fire. Labour officials said the government will also investigate if any safety issues were involved. The factory is owned by Aricell, a battery manufacturer.
Most of the dead workers were daily laborers who were not familiar with the building’s layout, senior fire officer Jo Seon-ho told reporters on Monday. Video footage showed they tried to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers but eventually rushed to an area with no exit. They likely inhaled toxic smoke.
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are common in consumer goods like laptops and cellphones. If damaged, defective, or improperly packaged, they can overheat, leading to fires and explosions. This makes them a shipping hazard on aircraft.
Monday’s blaze is one of the deadliest fires in South Korea in recent years. In 2020, a fire at a warehouse under construction in Icheon City killed 38 workers. In 2018, 46 people died in a fire at a small hospital without sprinkler systems in Miryang. In 2008, 40 workers, including 12 ethnic Koreans with Chinese nationality, died in a fire and explosions at a refrigerated warehouse in Icheon City.
South Korea has struggled for decades to improve safety standards and change attitudes that prioritize economic progress and convenience over safety.
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