A devastating fire broke out at a lithium battery manufacturing plant near Seoul, South Korea, resulting in the loss of at least nine lives, with four others injured and 15 individuals still unaccounted for, according to officials.
Initially reported in Hwaseong City, just south of Seoul, the fire claimed the life of one person and injured four, two of whom are in critical condition, as confirmed by local fire official Kim Jin-young during a televised briefing.
Later updates from rescue efforts revealed that eight additional bodies were recovered from the factory, bringing the total number of fatalities to nine.
Kim Jin-young mentioned that many of the missing persons are believed to be foreign nationals, predominantly Chinese, with their mobile phone signals traced to the factory’s second floor.
Although South Korean media reported significant progress in extinguishing the blaze, the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined.
According to Kim, a total of 102 individuals were working at the factory when the fire broke out.
