At least 21 people died and 21 were “uncountable” in a massive fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea on Monday, authorities said.
According to the AFP news agency, the lithium battery factory belonging to South Korea’s main battery manufacturer is located in Hwaseong, south of the capital Seoul.
“We still can’t go in and carry out rescue operations. We will do that once we control the fire,” firefighter Kim Jin-young told the media.
“The 21 workers are now unaccounted for. We plan to track their whereabouts and contact information provided by the company,” said Kim.
He said one person was killed and another was badly burned.
Images shared by Yonhap news agency showed huge plumes of gray smoke billowing into the sky above the factory and orange flames inside the building. Dozens of fire engines were seen outside.
South Korean President Moon Suk issued an emergency order to authorities, saying “all personnel and equipment must be directed to search and rescue people,” according to his office.
He also warned the authorities to “guarantee the safety of firefighters if the fire spreads quickly.”
Firefighting and rescue operations are underway, but the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
South Korea also includes batteries used in electric vehicles. The battery maker supplies electric vehicle makers around the world, including Elon Musk’s Tesla.
