The response was also hampered by sodium stored at the site, which can explode if improperly handled, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Around 170 workers were at the plant when the fire erupted at about 1:00 pm (0400 GMT) Friday, according to Yonhap. "We understand that 11 are dead, 25 are seriously injured," an official from the interior ministry's department that handles fires and other disasters told AFP. A witness told Yonhap about hearing an explosion. The 2024 blaze at the lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, south of capital Seoul, killed 22 people, most of them Chinese nationals.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 21, 2026 08:24 UTC