Five workers were killed and two others injured after a powerful explosion triggered a fire at a rocket propellant production facility operated by Hanwha Aerospace in South Korea on Monday.
The deadly incident occurred at the company’s factory in Daejeon, a major site involved in the production of rocket propulsion engines and propellant materials for the aerospace and defence sector.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after the blast erupted, sparking a large fire within the facility.
Authorities confirmed that five people lost their lives in the accident, while two others managed to escape from the building on their own before receiving medical treatment.
One of the survivors reportedly suffered severe burn injuries.
Officials said the identities of the victims have not yet been confirmed as their bodies were badly damaged by the explosion and subsequent fire.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the blaze was triggered by an explosion, although the exact cause remains under investigation.
According to company representatives, the incident may have occurred while workers were using water to clean explosive residue from equipment involved in the manufacture of rocket propellant.
The five victims included two temporary workers in their 20s, with all those killed reportedly employed by Hanwha Aerospace.
The tragedy sent shockwaves through the country’s aerospace and defence industry, with investors reacting negatively to the news. Shares of Hanwha Aerospace fell 2.8 per cent in afternoon trading, while parent company Hanwha Corporation saw its stock decline by 3.4 per cent.
Hanwha Aerospace chief executive officer Son Jae-il expressed condolences to the victims and their families, pledging full cooperation with investigators.
“We bow our heads in apology to the victims and their bereaved families,” he said.
Authorities faced additional challenges during the emergency response as access to detailed factory layouts was restricted under South Korea’s national security laws due to the sensitive nature of the facility’s operations.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered all available resources to be mobilised to respond to the incident and called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the deadly explosion.
Investigators are continuing to examine the scene as authorities work to determine exactly what led to one of the country’s deadliest industrial accidents involving a defence manufacturing facility in recent years.
