Fire at aerospace factory leaves five dead in South Korea

Five people died and two were injured in a fire at a factory owned by the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace in the city of Daejeon, authorities said on Monday (1st).

The two survivors, including one who suffered severe burns, escaped the scene on their own, a fire department official said at a press conference.

"Authorities have not yet identified the victims because their bodies were seriously injured," a health official said at the same press conference.

A fire department official said an explosion caused the fire, although the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

Hanwha is a defense and aerospace company. Its factory in Daejeon produces large propulsion engines and processes rocket propellants.

Authorities were unable to obtain the factory's blueprints as it is protected by national security laws, an official said during the press conference.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for the mobilization of all available resources to respond to the accident and for an investigation to be carried out, his office said in a text message sent to journalists.

An official at Hanwha Aerospace said the company is investigating the incident.

Source: CNN