At least 20 bodies found at South Korean battery plant fire
(VOVWORLD) -20 bodies have been found inside the location of a fire at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong City, south of the capital Seoul, the Korean Fire Force has reported. The fire occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday, local time.
 The site of the deadly fire at a lithium battery factory owned by South Korean battery maker Aricell, in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province, June 24, 2024 (Photo: Yonhap/VNA)
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These known victims are among 23 people missing in the fire, 20 of whom are believed to be foreign nationals.
The Korean authorities cannot determine the exact number of people present at the factory at the time of the fire because the list of full-time and part-time workers were burned.
The blaze ripped through a 2,300 square-meter factory run by battery manufacturer Aricell in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul.
At 3:00 p.m. the same day, local time, firefighters controlled the fire, entered the fire area, and discovered the bodies. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
According to the fire team, the fire spread quickly because the battery cores inside continually exploded. This made it difficult for rescuers to get inside the warehouse which held about 35,000 battery units.
The Korean government convened an emergency meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Safety on Monday afternoon to discuss measures to minimize further casualties.
Interior Minister Lee Sang‑min called on the local authorities to take steps to prevent any hazardous chemicals from contaminating the surroundings.