'Hwaseong Factory Fire' First Meeting of the Pan-Government Investigation Headquarters... Hosted by the Minister of Employment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The government announced that it will hold the first meeting of the Central Accident Response Headquarters (hereinafter referred to as CARH) on the 25th regarding the fire at a primary battery manufacturing company in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province.

The meeting, held at Hwaseong City Hall at 2 p.m. on the same day, will be chaired by Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor, with officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, National Fire Agency, National Police Agency, Gyeonggi Province, and Hwaseong City in attendance.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor established the Central Industrial Accident Response Headquarters (CIARH), led by the minister, within the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters immediately after the fire occurred the previous day, and also set up a Regional Industrial Accident Response Headquarters (RIARH) at the Gyeonggi Employment and Labor Office.

Additionally, the CARH, headed by the minister, was also formed. The Ministry of Employment and Labor has prepared a dedicated team to investigate violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accident Punishment Act at the workplace.

At 10:31 a.m. the previous day, a large-scale disaster occurred when an explosion and fire broke out at Aricell factory in Jeongok-ri, Seosin-myeon, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in 22 deaths. Eight people sustained serious or moderate injuries, and one person is missing. Due to severe damage to the recovered bodies, only the identities of two out of the 22 deceased have been confirmed so far.