Lithium battery explosion in South Korea claims 22 lives

An explosion and subsequent fire occurred at a battery factory in Hwaseong, South Korea, south of Seoul, killing 22 people. Most of the workers were Chinese nationals, Reuters reports, citing the local fire department. Two injured workers are being treated for severe burns.

The fire reportedly broke out at the Aricell factory in Korea on Monday morning and lasted for over four hours before firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control, Al Jazeera reports. The fire broke out at around 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, which is 10:30 a.m. in Korea. The building’s roof was damaged and parts of the upper floor collapsed.

A firefighter estimated that about 100 people were working at the factory at the time of the battery cell explosion. There were about 35,000 battery units in the factory at the time of the incident.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol reportedly urged authorities to continue to “focus on searching and rescuing people.”

It was difficult for rescue workers to get to the scene quickly enough because nickel and other battery materials are highly flammable, Kim Jae-ho, professor of fire and disaster management, told Reuters.

Batteries can experience “thermal runaway,” a chain reaction that can lead to battery explosions. However, the exact cause of Monday’s Aricell explosion is not yet clear. According to the U.S. National Fire Protection Association, physical damage, product defects or electrical damage can lead to battery explosions.