Ministry of Justice Forms Emergency Response Headquarters for Support
Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency Organizes Dedicated Investigation Unit
The prosecution has formed a dedicated investigation team regarding the fire at a primary battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, which resulted in 30 casualties.
On the 24th, firefighters are busily moving at the fire scene of Arisel factory in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Shim Seong-a
According to the legal community on the 25th, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office established the dedicated investigation team the day before, considering it a 'serious accident' case with multiple casualties.
The investigation team was organized with Deputy Chief Prosecutor An Byung-soo as the team leader, comprising seven prosecutors from the Public Investigation Division and the Criminal Division 3.
The team, consisting of seven prosecutors and nine investigators totaling 16 members, reportedly conducted direct autopsies at five locations, including hospital funeral halls where the bodies were kept, from late afternoon to early morning the previous day to determine the causes of death due to the fire.
A prosecution official stated, "We will strictly investigate the specific circumstances of the accident and the responsibility involved in close cooperation with related agencies such as the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the National Fire Agency, while also doing our best to support the victims' families and others affected."
The Ministry of Justice formed an emergency response headquarters led by the Director of the Immigration Policy Division to support the victims.
Minister of Justice Park Seong-jae instructed the emergency response headquarters formed within the Ministry of Justice to work closely with related agencies, emphasizing the importance of promptly supporting the entry and stay of the bereaved families, as most of the deceased were foreign workers.
The Ministry of Justice also established an emergency response team at the Suwon Immigration Office, which has jurisdiction over Hwaseong-si, to handle tasks such as verifying the identities of the foreign casualties, supporting the entry and stay of bereaved families and guardians, and providing interpretation services.
Additionally, the Ministry of Justice plans to provide legal support for damage recovery to the victims and their families, economic support such as medical and funeral expenses through the Prosecutors' Office Crime Victim Support Center, and psychological healing services through the Smile Center.
Meanwhile, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency also formed a dedicated investigation headquarters with about 130 personnel, led by the head of the Metropolitan Investigation Division, the day before.
The fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. the previous day on the second floor of Building 3, a two-story building within the Arisel factory, when a lithium battery caught fire and rapidly spread.
The accident resulted in 22 deaths and 8 injuries. One person remains missing.
Among the injured, two are in serious condition, and six have minor injuries.
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