Fire at Pyeongtaek Waste Recycling Facility... 2 Foreign Workers Dead

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] At around 3:55 a.m. on the 19th, a fire broke out at a waste recycling facility in Hongwon-ri, Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province. Two people, including foreign worker Mr. A, died in the fire, and both factory buildings were completely burned down. The fire department deployed about 30 pieces of equipment, including pump trucks, and around 70 personnel, completing initial firefighting by around 5 a.m.

There were no other employees at the facility at the time of the fire, and it is known that Mr. A and others had been working since the afternoon of the previous day. Approximately 100 tons of waste vinyl were reportedly stored at the facility where the fire occurred.

The fire department stated, "The site where the fire broke out is a company that refines pyrolysis oil by heating waste. It is presumed that the fire started when a horizontal kiln inside the manufacturing plant exploded."

A police official said, "There are still embers among the waste, so it is expected to take more time to completely extinguish the fire," adding, "Once the remaining fire is put out, the fire department and police will investigate the exact cause of the fire."

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