A tragic fire at a battery manufacturing factory near South Korea’s capital, Seoul, resulted in the deaths of 22 workers, the majority of whom were Chinese migrants. The incident occurred on Monday June 24th 2024 morning in Hwaseong city, located just south of Seoul. The fire, believed to have been caused by exploding lithium batteries, also injured eight individuals.
The fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. on the second floor of the factory where workers were examining and packaging batteries. Local fire officials, citing a witness, reported that the explosion of the batteries likely sparked the blaze. An investigation into the precise cause of the fire is ongoing.
According to Kim Jin-young, a local fire official, the deceased included 18 Chinese nationals, two South Koreans, and one Laotian. The nationality of one victim has yet to be confirmed. Over the past few decades, many Chinese, including ethnic Koreans, have migrated to South Korea for job opportunities. Like other foreign migrants from Southeast Asia, they often take on physically demanding and low-paying jobs that are less attractive to more affluent South Koreans.
One factory worker remains unaccounted for, and rescuers continue to search the site. Of the eight injured, two are reported to be in serious condition. The fire started in one of the factory buildings owned by the company Aricell. Kim indicated that the victims likely could not escape via the stairs to the ground level. Authorities are investigating whether the factory had functional fire extinguishing systems in place.
Before the fire, 102 people were working in the factory. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min visited the site later on Monday. Prime Minister Han has asked officials to provide government assistance for funeral services and support programs for the victims’ relatives.