Seoul: At least 22 workers lost their lives and eight others sustained severe burn injuries after a massive fire broke out at a lithium battery plant in South Korea on Monday, Al Jazeera reported. Authorities initially confirmed that 15 workers inside the plant were trapped and lost their lives in the fire, but later, fire officials found 22 bodies at the factory located in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul.
Among the dead were one Laotian and eighteen Chinese labourers, reported Al Jazeera.
Citing information from corporate officials, fire official Kim Jin-young stated that the nationality of the remaining deceased worker was not yet determined.
About 10:30 a.m. (01:30 GMT), the South Korean battery manufacturer Aricell’s plant caught fire. It was put out just after 3 p.m. (06:00 GMT), according to police, reported Al Jazeera.
South Korea is a major exporter of lithium batteries and is home to major companies in the sector, including SK On, LG Energy Solution, and Samsung SDI.
Yoon Suk-yeol, the president of South Korea, has directed authorities to mobilize all staff and equipment “to focus on searching for and rescuing people,” according to his office.
People are being urged to stay inside and keep windows shut because of smoke emanating from a fire incident.
Overheating or damage to lithium batteries – a situation known as thermal run – could lead to major mishaps like explosions or fires, especially in electronic gadgets like electric cars, laptops and smartphones.
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