At least 14 people have died and 25 others sustained serious injuries in a fire at a car parts factory in the South Korean city of Daejeon, authorities said on Saturday. Another 35 people suffered minor injuries in the blaze.
The fire broke out around lunchtime on Friday and was fully contained by 11:48 p.m. local time (1448 GMT), according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
The factory, owned by Anjun Industrial, manufactures engine valves and supplies major automakers, including Hyundai Motor and Kia Corporation. Attempts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful.
In a statement on the company’s website, CEO Sohn Ju-hwan expressed condolences and apologised for the tragedy. He pledged full cooperation with authorities, a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire, and a review of the factory’s safety systems and inspections to prevent future incidents.
The South Korean government activated a centralised disaster management system following the fire, after President Lee Jae Myung ordered all available resources to be deployed to manage the incident and save lives.
According to fire authorities, victims were found across multiple floors of the factory: one on the first floor, four on the second floor, and nine on the third floor. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The incident has prompted a nationwide review of industrial safety standards, particularly in facilities supplying major automobile manufacturers.
