Authorities in South Korea have opened an investigation into a devastating factory fire in the central city of Daejeon that left at least 14 people dead and dozens injured.
Preliminary findings indicate that unauthorised structures داخل the automobile parts factory may have contributed to the high casualty figure, making it one of the country’s deadliest industrial accidents in recent years.
Rescue teams recovered 14 bodies from the charred facility on Saturday, while no fewer than 60 others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Over 500 firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel were deployed to the scene after the blaze broke out on Friday afternoon.
Footage from the site showed thick grey smoke engulfing the factory complex, with some workers reportedly forced to jump from upper floors in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
Fire officials said the blaze is believed to have started on the ground floor before rapidly spreading through stairwells to upper levels. Highly flammable substances, including residual cutting oil and grease on machinery, are suspected to have fuelled the inferno.
Investigators also identified a makeshift mezzanine structure inside the facility, which may have accelerated the spread of the fire and hindered evacuation efforts. Authorities say a full probe is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident and assess possible safety violations.
