Four Daejeon Hyundai Outlet Employees Missing... "Smoke Hampers Search for Missing Persons"

On the morning of the 26th, the Hyundai Premium Outlet building located in Yongsan-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon was engulfed in thick black smoke rising from the basement. Photo by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] It is reported that four people are missing at the site of the fire at Daejeon Hyundai Premium Outlet. Fire authorities are searching for the missing persons at the scene but are facing difficulties due to thick smoke.

On the 26th, the Daejeon Yuseong Fire Department deployed about 120 firefighters and around 40 firefighting vehicles to the Hyundai Outlet fire site. They extinguished the large fire around 1 p.m. and are currently cleaning up the remaining flames.

They are also focusing on identifying the whereabouts of the four people who have been unreachable since the fire broke out by using special vehicles to remove internal heat and smoke.

The fire authorities received reports from employees who escaped the scene at the time of the fire saying, "We cannot contact our colleagues," and have launched a search for the missing persons.

However, it is reported that it is difficult for personnel to enter due to the large amount of smoke and toxic gases rising from the underground parking lot.

The fire department believes the smoke was caused by burning cardboard boxes stored in the underground parking lot.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai Outlet fire is estimated to have first occurred around 7:45 a.m. in the loading dock on the basement first floor of the Hyundai Outlet building.

So far, confirmed casualties include two deaths (one man in his 30s and one man in his 50s) and one seriously injured man in his 40s.