South Korean law enforcement agencies conducted a joint inspection at a Hanwha Aerospace factory following a fatal explosion that occurred the day before in Daejeon, resulting in five deaths and two injuries. The inspection involved officials from various agencies, including the police, fire service, National Forensic Service, labour ministry, and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Authorities aim to determine the cause of the explosion and assess the presence of flammable materials at the site.
Hanwha officials reported that the explosion happened while workers were cleaning propellant powder residue from tools used in manufacturing propulsion systems. Although the building where the explosion occurred suffered partial damage, it is not in danger of collapsing. Labour Minister Kim Young-hoon, who participated in the inspection, pledged a thorough investigation into the incident to ensure accountability.
The explosion is believed to have occurred during cleaning activities at the site. An official from the company mentioned that the blast likely happened while cleaning propellant residue from tools used in rocket propellant production. Firefighters successfully extinguished the fire, and authorities are now focused on determining the exact cause of the blaze. The Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office has established a special team to investigate the incident and identify any responsible parties.
