In South Korea, a fire at a battery factory left one person dead and 21 others missing

A fire that broke out at a lithium battery factory in South Korea on Monday, June 24, left one person dead and 21 others missing, according to local firefighters. One person also suffered serious burns, according to the same source. At present, the cause of the fire is still unknown.

“We are still unable to go in and carry out rescue operations. We will do so once the fire is under control.”Kim Jin-young, a member of the firefighting team at the scene, told reporters. “Twenty-one workers are currently missing. We plan to trace them using the contacts provided by the company.he added.

The fire broke out at a lithium battery factory, owned by South Korean company Aricel, in Hwaseong, south of Seoul. Pictures broadcast by Yonhap showed columns of gray smoke rising above the factory building, which was engulfed by fire.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol asked local authorities to do so “Mobilize all available personnel and equipment to focus on searching and rescuing people.”His office said. He also warned the authorities of the necessity of this “Ensuring the safety of firefighters due to the rapid spread of the fire.”.