A fire at an auto parts factory in Daejeon, South Korea, has resulted in 14 confirmed fatalities and at least 59 injuries. The blaze erupted Friday afternoon, with initial reports indicating around 170 workers were present.
Videos from the scene showed thick smoke and individuals jumping from the building to escape the rapidly spreading flames. More than 500 firefighters, police, and emergency personnel were deployed, utilizing over 120 vehicles and specialized equipment, including firefighting robots. Twenty-eight people were hospitalized, with four undergoing surgery for injuries including broken bones.
Search operations concluded Saturday, accounting for all missing individuals. Nine bodies were found in a gym on the third floor, and three near a water tank on the second. Authorities recovered over 100 kilograms of highly reactive chemicals from the site, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, though witnesses reported an explosion.
President Lee Jae Myung visited the site, meeting with victims’ families and directing efforts to prevent structural collapse during ongoing operations. The incident marks the deadliest factory fire in South Korea in two years.