Seoul (VNA) – No Vietnamese citizens were injured or killed in the blaze at an lithium battery factory in Hwaseong province, an industrial cluster 50km to the southwest of Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK), on June 24, the local authority told the Vietnamese Embassy.
The fire began after batteries exploded while workers were examining and packaging them on the second floor of the factory run by primary battery manufacturer Aricell. It killed 23 workers, including 17 Chinese, five Korean and one Lao nationals, and injured eight.
Competent authorities are investing the cause of the blaze.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on June 24 asked officials to provide special assistance for the deceased’s families.
At a cabinet meeting, he expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims, and instructed the interior ministry and other relevant sides to thoroughly determine the cause of the fire, give treatment to the injured and arranged funerals and compensation for the damage./.
