(8th LD) Footage shows smoke engulfed battery plant in just 42 seconds

SEOUL, Surveillance footage from a lithium battery plant where a fire killed 23 people Monday revealed a harrowing timeline: it took just 42 seconds for thick smoke to engulf the facility following an initial battery explosion. Eight others sustained injuries, with two in serious condition after the fire ravaged the lithium battery maker Aricell's plant in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, in one of the worst chemical plant accidents in the country. According to the footage released by the National Fire Agency on Tuesday, the first explosion occurred at 10:30:03 a.m. Monday, followed by a second explosion at 10:30:28 and a third explosion just three seconds later. The footage shows a company employee attempting to extinguish the flames with a powder extinguisher at 10:30:32, but was soon overwhelmed as black smoke rapidly filled the area, making visibility through the CCTV almost impossible at 10:30:45. The exact cause of the initial explosion remains undetermined, though authorities suggest that t he first cylindrical battery is presumed to have exploded due to unknown reasons, rapidly expanding the fire and resulting in a significant number of casualties. Earlier in the day, rescuers pulled out an additional body, reportedly from under collapsed iron beams and other debris, increasing the death toll to 23. Police confirmed the body was that of a South Korean national in his 40s, who had remained missing, after identifying the deceased's fingerprints. He is among the three local victims whose identifications have been confirmed. About 100 personnel and two rescue dogs were mobilized during the day for the search, which had continued since the previous day. All deceased victims were found on the second floor of the plant, where the fire first started, while they were inspecting and packaging finished battery products. Seventeen of the victims were Chinese, while five were Koreans, and one was Laotian, police said, updating the initial count of two Koreans by fire authorities. A team of police, fir efighters, forensic workers and other government officials launched a joint investigation at the fire site around noon to determine the cause of the accident. Police have requested autopsies on the bodies to determine the cause of death. The identities of only two Koreans among the victims have been confirmed so far, as the bodies of the others were severely destroyed in the fire and are beyond recognition. "We plan to confirm the victims' identities by collecting DNA from their bodies," a police official said, adding that the process may take some time because they were mostly foreigners. Following the investigation, rescue workers plan to resume their search inside the scorched plant to see if there are any other remaining victims. Police also booked the head of the battery firm and four others for investigation on charges related to the deadly accident, including professional negligence resulting in deaths and injuries. Overseas travel bans were also imposed on all of them as police investigated who should be held accountable for the disaster. According to initial findings by fire authorities, Monday's fire started at a storage and packaging area for primary lithium batteries supplied to the military for use in FM walkie-talkies. Lithium is considered a relatively stable material, requiring no specific legal regulations for its handling in South Korea. Lithium, however, can cause sparks if it comes into contact with rusted iron in the presence of flammable gas in the air, necessitating storage in a separate, dry space. Source: Yonhap News Agency