WORLD NEWS: 18 CHINESE AMONG 22 DEAD IN SOUTH KOREA BATTERY PLANT FIRE
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The fire service announced on Monday that a large fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea claimed the lives of twenty-two workers, including eighteen Chinese nationals. This was one of the biggest manufacturing disasters to hit the nation in recent memory.
Firefighter Kim Jin-young told the media that more than a hundred personnel were present in the plant when they heard several explosions coming from the second level, where lithium-ion batteries were being examined and packaged.
Twenty-two people were murdered in the enormous fire that broke out, he claimed, including 20 foreign nationals: 18 Chinese, 1 Laotian, and 1 person whose country was unknown.
“Most of the bodies are badly burned so it will take some time to identify each one,” he added.
He stated that although firefighters had managed to limit the worst fire at the plant and get inside, they were still looking for one more individual who is missing.
“Cooling operations are being carried out by firefighters to stop the fire from spreading to adjacent factories,” Kim stated.
An AFP correspondent observed that dozens of fire engines were parked outside the business and that rescue personnel were removing bodies from the structure on stretchers while they were wrapped in blue blankets.
After the fire started, Yonhap released pictures of the facility that showed orange flames inside and massive clouds of billowing gray smoke rising into the sky above it.
The vast factory had an estimated 35,000 battery cells on the second floor in storage, with more batteries stored in other areas.
Lithium batteries burn hot and fast, and are difficult to control with conventional fire extinguishing methods.
“Due to fears of additional explosions, it was difficult to enter,” Kim said, describing the tricky rescue operation.
“As it is a lithium battery manufacturer, we (had) determined that spraying water will not extinguish the fire, so we (used) dry sand,” he added.
The lithium battery plant is owned by Aricell, a South Korean primary battery manufacturer. It is located in Hwaseong city, just south of the capital Seoul.
Shares of Aricell’s parent company, S-connect, plunged by over 20 percent on the Seoul exchange by close Monday. S-connect owns 96 percent of Aricell.
Lithium batteries are used in everything from laptops to electric vehicles — but can be highly explosive, with airlines, for example, imposing strict regulations on checking devices containing them.
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol issued emergency instructions to authorities, telling them to “mobilise all available personnel and equipment to focus on searching for and rescuing people,” his office said.
The president also warned authorities that they should “ensure the safety of firefighters considering the rapid spread of fire”.
Authorities in Hwaseong sent out a series of alerts to residents warning them to stay inside.
“There is a lot of smoke due to factory fires. Please pay attention to safety, such as refraining from going out,” one alert sent by text message said.
“Factory fire. Please detour to surrounding roads and nearby citizens please close windows,” another one read.
South Korea is a major producer of batteries, including those used in electric vehicles.
Its battery makers supply EV makers around the world, including Tesla.
The fire is one of South Korea’s worst factory disasters in years.
Previously, it’s worst chemical plant accident was in 1989 at the Lucky Chemical factory in Yeosu, Southern Jeolla Province, which resulted in 16 deaths and 17 injuries.
A fire at a warehouse in Icheon in 2020 killed 38 people.
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