SEOUL: An explosion at a plant run by South Korean defence firm Hanwha Aerospace killed five people on Monday (Jun 1), local fire authorities said, with two others injured
The explosion was reported to authorities at around 11am local time at Hanwha’s plant in Daejeon, about 150km south of Seoul.
A representative of the Daejeon Fire Headquarters told AFP that five people died and two others were injured.
The two survivors, including one who was badly burned, had escaped from the facility themselves, a fire official said.
“Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged,” a health official told the same briefing.
A fire official added that an explosion had triggered the blaze, though the cause of the blast was still being investigated.
Authorities were unable to obtain the factory’s layout since it is protected under national security laws, an official said at the briefing.
Hanwha Aerospace is a major South Korean defence manufacturer which produces weapons, artillery systems and aerospace components.
Its Daejeon facility focuses on research and development, including advanced weapons technologies and space-related systems, and produces large propulsion engines and handles rocket propellants.
“The exact circumstances and extent of the damage have not yet been fully determined. The fire has not yet been completely extinguished,” a Hanwha representative said.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for the mobilisation of all available resources to respond to the accident and for an investigation, his office said in a text message to reporters.
A Hanwha Aerospace official added it was investigating the incident.
