Explosion and Fire at Seosan Lotte Chemical 'Extinguished'... 2 of 31 Injured Are Seriously Hurt (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy (Seosan) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The large fire at the Lotte Chemical Daesan Plant in Seosan, Chungnam has been extinguished. Fire authorities are currently cleaning up the remaining embers at the site.

According to Chungnam Fire Department and Lotte Chemical on the 4th, a fire broke out around 3 a.m. at the naphtha cracking plant compressor house within the Lotte Chemical Daesan Plant, accompanied by an explosion sound.

The naphtha cracking plant is a facility that pyrolyzes naphtha at ultra-high temperatures above 1200 degrees Celsius to manufacture and produce ethylene and propylene. The fire is presumed to have occurred during the compression process.

Immediately after the fire broke out, the fire authorities issued a Level 2 response and dispatched about 230 firefighters and 66 firefighting vehicles and equipment from nearby stations. The large fire was brought under control around 5:12 a.m., about two hours after the fire started. The Level 2 response has now been lifted.

There were no fatalities due to the fire, and Lotte Chemical confirmed that no hazardous chemical substances were leaked. However, a total of 31 people were injured in the fire, with two sustaining serious injuries. The injured are currently being treated at nearby hospitals, and the two with severe burns were transferred to a university hospital in Cheonan.

Near the Daesan Plant, glass windows of commercial and residential buildings were broken, and parts of exterior walls fell. This damage appears to be due to the shockwave from the explosion. In response, Seosan City sent emergency disaster messages twice, urging residents to ensure their safety.

Meanwhile, Lotte Chemical has currently suspended operations at 7 out of 10 facilities within the Daesan Plant, and the schedule for resuming operations will be determined according to the maintenance status of the naphtha cracking center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.