SEOUL — The death toll from a catastrophic fire at a lithium battery manufacturing facility in Hwaseong has risen to 23, following the recovery of another body by rescue workers on Tuesday. The fire, which is one of the worst chemical plant accidents in South Korea, devastated Aricell's lithium battery plant located 45 kilometers south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the latest body was retrieved shortly before noon, believed to be a worker who had been missing under the debris of collapsed iron beams and other materials. Approximately 100 personnel along with two rescue dogs were deployed for the search, which has been ongoing since the fire broke out the previous day. All victims were discovered on the second floor of the plant, where they were involved in inspecting and packaging finished battery products.
Updated reports from police now state that seventeen of the deceased were Chinese, five were Koreans, and one was Laotian, revising the initial count provided by fire authorities. A joint investigation has been initiated by police, firefighters, forensic workers, and other government officials to determine the cause of the accident. Autopsies have been requested to establish the exact causes of death.
The severe condition of the remains has made identification challenging, with only two Korean victims confirmed so far. "We plan to confirm the victims' identities by collecting DNA from their bodies," noted a police official, indicating that the process might be prolonged due to the majority of the victims being foreigners. Rescue operations are set to continue to ensure no other victims remain in the damaged facility.
Further complicating the response, police have detained the head of the battery firm and four other individuals on charges related to the deadly incident, including professional negligence. Restrictions on overseas travel have been imposed on all the accused as the investigation continues into who is accountable for the tragedy.
Initial investigations by fire authorities suggest the blaze originated in a storage and packaging area designated for primary lithium batteries used in military FM walkie-talkies. Despite lithium's general stability and the lack of specific legal handling regulations in South Korea, it can ignite sparks when it comes into contact with rusted iron and flammable gases, highlighting the need for careful storage conditions.