Second Day of Search at Daejeon Factory Fire: "Four Missing Believed Near Parking Lot"

Of the 14 Missing Persons, 10 Confirmed Dead

The search for missing persons at the site of the automobile parts factory fire in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, entered its second day, with the remaining four missing individuals believed to be located in the collapsed parking lot.

According to the Daejeon Fire Headquarters on March 21, a total of 69 casualties have been reported so far as a result of the fire, including 10 deaths, 25 people with serious injuries, and 34 with minor injuries. Among those injured are two firefighters who were hurt during the rescue operations.

(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Reporter Junbum Kim = Fire officials are conducting search operations to find missing persons at Safe Industrial in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, where a large fire occurred on the morning of the 21st. 2026.3.21 psykims@yna.co.kr (End)

The fire authorities stated that, out of the 14 missing persons, 10 have been found and recovered, while the remaining four are presumed to be in the rear section of the collapsed East Hall parking lot. After conducting a safety assessment, the authorities plan to determine the demolition scope and proceed with the search using heavy machinery. Two search-and-rescue dogs have been deployed inside the factory to assist with the search.

The authorities discovered one missing person near the entrance of the second-floor break room at around 11:03 p.m. the previous day. Subsequently, starting from 12:20 a.m. on March 21, they found nine unidentified bodies in succession on the factory's third floor. These bodies were discovered in an area believed to be a gym on the third floor.

The police are carrying out identification procedures using DNA analysis, and so far, only one individual—a man in his 40s—has been identified.

Meanwhile, the government established the 'Central Joint Disaster Victim Support Center' at the Daedeok Culture and Sports Center starting today to support accident recovery and assist the families of the victims. Led by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 22 support agencies have gathered to provide integrated services, including complaint reception, emergency relief, medical and psychological support, as well as loan and tax consultations.

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