Search operation in progress... So far
Total 9 dead, 15 missing
A fire that broke out at a lithium battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province was brought under initial control around 3:10 PM. During the internal search operation, 8 bodies were discovered, and since there are missing persons, there is a possibility of additional casualties.
According to the fire authorities on the 24th, the fire was initially controlled by 3:10 PM, and rescue teams were deployed inside the factory to conduct a full-scale search operation. As of 4 PM, 8 bodies were recovered and transported to the hospital morgue.
Accordingly, the previously reported casualties of 1 dead, 2 seriously injured, and 4 lightly injured have increased to a total of 9 deaths. The additional confirmed deceased were all found on the second floor of the building, and the fire department explained that they were charred remains. A representative from the Hwaseong Fire Station in Gyeonggi said, "There are two staircases connecting the second floor to the first floor, but it is presumed that those on the second floor were unable to escape."
Among the 23 missing persons, excluding the 8 deceased, 15 have not yet been contacted. The nationalities of the missing persons are 20 foreigners, 2 Koreans, and 1 unidentified.
Earlier that day, at around 10:31 AM, a fire broke out at a lithium battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, prompting a Level 2 emergency response. The government also activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters from 12:36 PM to respond.
The factory where the fire occurred is a lithium battery manufacturing plant consisting of 11 steel-framed buildings with a total floor area of 5,530㎡. It is understood that approximately 35,000 finished lithium battery products were stored in Building 3, where the fire broke out.
According to witness statements, the fire is presumed to have started due to an explosion from a battery during the collection, inspection, and packaging of finished lithium battery products. Based on these statements, the fire department plans to investigate the exact cause of the fire once the internal rescue operations are completed.
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