SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - An explosion at a Hanwha Aerospace factory in South Korea killed at least two people and left two others with full-body burns on Monday morning, according to police and rescuers. The blast prompted an emergency response as rescue workers continue to search for three unaccounted individuals.
The incident occurred at 10:59 a.m. (0159 GMT) at the company's plant in Oesam, located in Daejeon's Yuseong District. Emergency dispatchers received about 30 simultaneous calls from people in the area who reported they "heard an explosion" and that "a lot of smoke is coming out" from the site.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at 11:17 a.m. and are currently working to extinguish the resulting fire. Initial statements from the police reported four dead and two injured, but official on-site confirmations currently stand at two fatalities, two severe injuries, and three people whose survival remains unconfirmed.
Authorities suspect the blast originated on the first floor of the factory, though the exact trigger remains unknown. Police and fire officials will launch a joint investigation to determine the cause of the incident and confirm the final casualty toll as soon as the flames are fully suppressed.
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