Four killed in South Korea's aerospace plant explosion, PM orders full mobilisation of resources for rescue efforts
Seoul, June 1
Four people were killed and two others injured Monday in an explosion at defence company Hanwha Aerospace's factory in the central city of Daejeon in South Korea, officials have said.
Authorities received a report of the explosion at 10:59 a.m., with authorities working to confirm the exact number of casualties.
Fire authorities dispatched to the scene were working to put out a blaze at the site, reports Yonhap news agency
Police and fire officials believe the explosion occurred on the first floor of the factory and plan to investigate the exact cause of the incident once the blaze is put out.
The police confirmed four deaths and two injuries in the accident at the plant of Hanwha Aerospace, which is the country's leading aerospace and defence company, according to Xinhua news agency.
The fire authorities issued a level-1 response at around 11:17 a.m. local time, working to extinguish the fire.
Meanwhile, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has ordered the full mobilisation of equipment and personnel for rescue efforts after the explosion at the Hanwha Aerospace factory, officials have said.
Kim issued the order amid concern there could be more casualties in the defence factory accident, reports Yonhap news agency.
Kim ordered the interior ministry, the fire agency, police and the Daejeon city government to mobilise all available equipment and personnel to put out the fire and rescue victims so as to ensure no additional casualties occur.
The labour ministry, the science ministry, the aerospace agency, and other related ministries and agencies should also provide full cooperation for rescue efforts, Kim said.
Rescue and relief operations are underway.
Further details are awaited.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The PM's swift response is commendable, but why does it always take a tragedy for authorities to act? In India too, we see this—after every factory accident, there's a flurry of orders but not enough preventive measures. South Korea is a tech giant, but human lives matter most.
So sad. Hanwha Aerospace is a big name in defense, and this must be a huge blow for their team. The rescue operations are critical—hope they can clear the area safely. We should also think about our own safety standards in Indian factories. Every life is precious.
I work in a similar industry in the US, and hearing about this is chilling. The response by the South Korean PM shows urgency, but the real test is in preventing future incidents. My condolences to the victims' families.
This is a wake-up call for all countries. South Korea's safety laws are generally strong, but incidents like this show gaps. I hope the investigation brings clarity. A level-1 response is good, but we need to ask: why did the explosion happen in the first place? 😔
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