Massive Fire at Lithium Battery Factory Claims 20 Foreign Lives, Death Toll May Rise

South Korea: A tragic fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory near South Korea's capital resulted in at least 20 deaths, according to Yonhap news agency. The incident occurred around 10:30 am (7 am IST) at the factory in Hwaseong, south of Seoul. Local firefighter Kim Jin-young confirmed ongoing rescue efforts, stating that firefighters had extinguished the largest blaze and were recovering bodies from the burnt building.

The factory, located in Hwaseong near South Korea's capital, Seoul, had over 60 workers present when the fire broke out.

In an earlier televised briefing, Kim mentioned that 23 people were reported missing, but identification was challenging due to the staff register likely being destroyed in the fire.

The missing individuals included foreign nationals, among them Chinese citizens. Efforts to locate these individuals revealed that their mobile phone signals were traced to the factory's second floor.

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South Korean media reported that around 67 employees were present at the facility when the fire erupted. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and authorities are working diligently to account for all individuals and ensure the safety of those affected by the incident.

In response to the fire, South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol issued emergency instructions to authorities to "mobilize all available personnel and equipment to focus on searching for and rescuing people," as per reports

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