Asia
About 20 dead after factory fire in South Korea
Firefighters at the scene of a fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea. Photo
© Uncredited/Newsis/AP/dpa
A fire breaks out in a battery factory. Initially, several people were reported missing. Rescue workers now find numerous bodies.
Following a major fire in a lithium battery manufacturing factory in According to media reports, rescue workers in South Korea have found the bodies of around 20 people. Rescue workers discovered them in the affected building in the city of Hwaseong, south of Seoul, South Korean broadcasters and the national news agency Yonhap reported, citing the fire department.
Initially, 23 people were reported missing. Most of them were foreign workers. It is feared that the number of victims could rise further, it was said.
The fire had trapped numerous workers in the multi-story factory building. At first it was unclear how many of them were affected. The rescue workers had tried to reach them after the fire broke out. Initially there was talk of at least one death.
Several people were also injured. South Korean television showed flames and thick clouds of smoke coming out of the building. There were several small explosions in the burning building. The fire broke out in the morning for reasons that were initially unknown.