SEOUL:
At least nine people died on Monday and 15 others remained unaccounted for after a fire broke out at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, South Korea.
Most of the missing individuals are foreigners, including Chinese nationals.
The blaze, which broke out around 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at the “Aricell” battery manufacturing company, quickly spread from the factory’s warehouse, engulfing the entire facility.
According to initial investigations, the fire was triggered by the explosion of battery cells stored in the warehouse, which contained approximately 35,000 units.
Kim Jin-young, a local fire official, confirmed that the fire was caused by a series of battery cell explosions.
The flames were largely brought under control after a four-hour battle by firefighters.
Reports from international news agencies and Korean news agency Yonhap indicate that the final death toll may rise, with 20 bodies recovered from the site.
Authorities have launched an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the fire and prevent future incidents.