On Monday, a tragic incident occurred in HWASEONG, South Korea, where a lithium battery factory was engulfed in flames following a powerful explosion. The explosion resulted in the loss of 22 lives, with the majority of the victims being Chinese nationals working at the factory owned by battery manufacturer Aricell.
The fire, which has now been mostly extinguished, ravaged the Aricell factory in Hwaseong, a prominent industrial area located about 90 minutes southwest of Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
According to local fire officials, among the deceased were 18 Chinese workers and one worker from Laos. The nationality of the remaining deceased worker was yet to be confirmed at the time of the incident.
The devastating blaze started at 10:31 a.m. (0131 GMT) after multiple battery cells exploded within a warehouse containing around 35,000 units, as stated by Mr. Kim Jin-young, a local fire official. The exact cause of the explosion remains unknown.
Rescuers faced challenges in identifying the bodies due to the intensity of the fire, with firefighters seen retrieving up to six bodies from the factory. Two individuals sustained severe burns and were receiving medical treatment.
The aftermath of the explosion was captured on live TV, showing firefighters working to contain the damage. The structural integrity of the building was compromised, with parts of the upper level collapsing and debris scattered on the streets.
Fire and Disaster Prevention expert Kim Jae-ho speculated that the rapid spread of the fire may have hindered the workers’ escape efforts, citing the flammability of battery materials like nickel.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min were closely monitoring the situation, with calls for preventive measures to avoid any chemical contamination in the vicinity.
Aricell, established in 2020, specializes in manufacturing lithium primary batteries for various applications. The company, with 48 employees as per regulatory filings, did not respond to inquiries following the incident.
While Aricell is not publicly listed, it is predominantly owned by S-Connect, a company listed on the Kosdaq index. Following the tragedy, S-Connect’s shares witnessed a significant decline.
South Korea, known for its industrial prowess, has been striving to enhance safety measures in the wake of past accidents attributed to negligence.
By Daewoung Kim and Hongji Kim
