대전 Factory Fire: Death Toll Rises to 11, Search Continues for Missing
Eleven people are confirmed dead following a fire at a car parts factory in Daejeon, South Korea, with three still unaccounted for as of Saturday, raising fears the death toll will climb.
Firefighters discovered nine additional bodies early Saturday morning at the Safety Corporation factory in Daejeok-gu, bringing the confirmed fatalities to eleven, according to the Daejeon Fire Department. The bodies were found in a gym area on the third floor of the factory. Earlier, one body was recovered near the entrance to a break room on the second floor Friday night.
The fire broke out at approximately 1:17 PM local time on Friday at the Safety Corporation plant, which manufactures engine valves for automobiles and ships, and is known for its production of hybrid vehicle components. A total of 170 workers were present at the factory when the fire began. As of Saturday afternoon, 59 people had been treated for injuries, with 25 listed in serious condition and 34 with minor injuries.
Authorities initiated a full-scale search and rescue operation, issuing a national fire mobilization order within minutes of receiving the initial emergency call. The complex internal structure of the factory and concerns about the stability of the steel frame hampered rescue efforts, according to the Central Emergency Response Control Headquarters. Firefighters were forced to utilize ladders and articulated boom lifts to access the interior of the building.
The Daejeon Fire Department stated that the fire’s location and the building’s complex layout made simultaneous entry by multiple rescue teams difficult. They deployed teams of four firefighters to search the second and third floors separately.
Authorities are currently working to identify the victims through DNA and fingerprint analysis. The identity of the first body recovered, a man in his 40s, has been confirmed. Identifying the remaining victims is proving challenging due to the extent of their injuries.
Search efforts continue for the three remaining missing individuals, with authorities focusing on the factory’s parking area, believing they may have been overcome by smoke and collapsed there. The Central Emergency Response Control Headquarters stated that rescue teams are maintaining a “determination to identify every single person” despite the unstable and dangerous conditions at the site.