JAKARTA - A devastating explosion that burned a lithium battery factory in South Korea killed 16 people. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for five other people who are still missing.
The fire, which has been largely extinguished, burned a factory operated by battery manufacturer Aricell at Hwaseong, a large industrial cluster about 90 minutes southwest of the capital Seoul.
The fire broke out after a series of battery cells exploded in a warehouse of about 35,000 units, said Kim Jin-young, a local firefighter. What triggered the explosion remains unclear, he added, Monday, June 24.
A Reuters witness saw firefighters move six bodies out of the factory. Due to the intensity of the blaze, the rescue team had difficulty identifying the dead, Kim continued.
Yonhap news agency previously reported about 20 bodies were found in the factory, but Kim said in a televised press conference that 16 people were killed and two others suffered serious burns and injuries.
He said rescue teams were inside the factory trying to find five people who had not been found.
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Kim Jae-ho, professor of Fire and Disaster Prevention at Daejeon University, said the fire may have spread too quickly so workers couldn't save themselves.
"Tickets like nickel are flammable," he said. Often, there is not enough time to respond, compared to fires caused by other materials.
President Yoon Suk Yeol is monitoring the situation, his office said, while Interior Minister Lee Sang-min asked local authorities to take steps to prevent harmful chemicals from polluting the surrounding environment.
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