A fire broke out at a factory in Jeongok Industrial Complex, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7:15 a.m. on the 5th, and the fire authorities controlled the major flames in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Black smoke is rising from a fire at a factory in Jeongok Industrial Complex, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Three workers evacuated due to the fire, and no casualties have been confirmed. The factory covers a total floor area of 1,700㎡ and consists of six buildings, reportedly storing hazardous chemicals such as ethyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone. This site is located near the Arisel factory, a primary battery company where 23 workers died, about 500 meters away in a straight line.
The fire authorities issued a Level 1 response alert (an alarm involving 3 to 7 fire stations deploying 31 to 50 pieces of equipment) at around 7:23 a.m. and began firefighting operations. They deployed 31 vehicles including pump trucks and 78 personnel including a special response team, completing initial suppression (the stage where flames are controlled and there is no risk of fire spreading) around 8:30 a.m.
Hwaseong City sent a safety text message advising residents to refrain from going outside due to heavy smoke caused by the factory fire. Fire authorities are investigating the exact scale of damage and the cause of the fire.
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