A fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea on Monday resulted in the deaths of at least 22 individuals, predominantly foreign nationals, according to local authorities.
The fire erupted around 10:31 a.m. local time at a facility owned by battery manufacturer Aricell in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, approximately 50 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
Read more: Three Missing After Rare Floods and Landslides In Switzerland
Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by approximately 3:10 p.m., allowing them to enter the factory premises, reported Hwaseong Fire Department official Kim Jin-young during a briefing.
Of the fatalities, two were South Korean citizens, while the remaining 20 were foreigners, with the majority identified as Chinese nationals, Kim noted in a subsequent update.
Rescue teams recovered several charred remains, Kim stated, and one individual reportedly died from cardiac arrest.
Kim reported that at least two individuals sustained severe burns, while five others suffered minor injuries.
The fire extensively damaged the factory’s worker directory, complicating the process of identifying victims, Kim noted.
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea instructed the Interior and Safety Ministry, along with the fire department chief, to deploy all resources and personnel available to conduct rescue operations and ensure the safety of those affected.
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in consumer products like laptops, cameras, smartphones, and electric vehicles. However, the risk from these batteries can increase due to manufacturing defects, improper use, and aging, as they contain flammable materials.
