[Asia Economy Reporter Park Soyeon] At around 3 a.m. on the 4th, an explosion occurred at the Lotte Chemical Daesan Plant in Daesan-eup, Seosan-si, Chungnam, injuring 24 people who were transported to hospitals.
The fire authorities deployed 223 firefighters and 66 fire trucks to complete the initial extinguishing operation and are currently handling the remaining flames.
Among the injured, two are in serious condition, and eight nearby residents were also injured by window fragments caused by the severe explosion and were taken to hospitals.
Residents reported that the explosion caused windows of nearby houses to shatter, accompanied by a loud blast and vibrations comparable to an earthquake.
Seosan City Hall sent a safety alert message stating that there is no risk of additional accidents and that no hazardous chemicals are involved.
A fire official stated that part of the plant's naphtha cracking facility (NCC) exploded, and the exact cause of the accident is under investigation.
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