11 people died and 59 were severely injured in a devastating fire that broke out late Friday night at a Daejeon, South Korea car parts manufacturing factory, authorities confirmed. The rescue operation is underway as three workers still remain untraced. A South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the charred remains of the 11th victim were recovered on Saturday morning. Two firefighters were also injured while carrying out the rescue operation.

Injuries Mount as Workers Jump to Escape Flames

Official records state that out of the 59 injured workers, 25 victims are in serious condition, and the rest have minor injuries. Majority of victims were injured when they jumped from the building to escape the high rising flames; this resulted in fractures and trauma injuries. Some are admitted because they inhaled excessive smoke. At least four victims being treated for broken bones are undergoing surgery.

Toxic Sodium Stock Raises Explosion Threat

Around 1:17 pm on Friday, a fire broke out in the factory; 170 workers were inside at that time. Upon receiving information about the accident, emergency responders reached the site but faced difficulty entering the building due to the high risk of structural instability and collapse. What made the situation even worse was that 200 kilograms of sodium were stored inside the factory. It could have further triggered an explosion if it came into contact with fire or water. To control the blaze, a massive operation was launched involving about 120 vehicles with advanced equipment, including aircraft, a water cannon vehicle, and robotic firefighting units. The scale of the fire was huge, and it took almost 10 hours to control.

Investigation is underway and the exact reason for the fire is yet unknown. However, according to witnesses, they heard an explosion shortly after the fire began. Meanwhile, the President of South Korea Lee Jae Myung has ordered resources to support the ongoing rescue operation so that all missing victims can be traced at the earliest.

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