A fire trap in Daejeon claimed the lives of 14 workers at an auto parts factory (2 photos + 2 videos)
Category: Terrible (all news), News from the world
Today, 10:00
The tragedy that occurred at one of South Korea's largest industrial hubs has become the deadliest industrial incident in the past two years. 
By the evening of March 21, local rescue services completed the search operation at the site of a massive fire in the city of Daejeon. According to official reports, all 14 employees of the Anjun Industrial plant, previously missing, have been presumed dead.
The fire broke out on Friday afternoon, when approximately 170 workers were on the shop floor. The fire spread rapidly; eyewitnesses reported a series of explosions preceding the blaze. The situation was complicated by the presence of over 200 kilograms of reactive sodium in the plant's warehouses, making it impossible to immediately use water to extinguish the fire. As a result, rescuers were forced to use specialized robots to assess the condition of the structures and isolate hazardous materials.
In addition to the 14 fatalities, 59 people are listed as injured, 25 of whom are in serious condition. Most of the victims were found in utility rooms on the upper floors of the building, where people were attempting to escape the dense toxic smoke.
President Lee Jae-myung, who visited the scene of the accident on Saturday, ordered a thorough safety inspection at all similar plants nationwide. The Anjun Industrial plant, a key supplier to Hyundai and Kia, has suspended operations indefinitely until the circumstances of the disaster are clarified.
