Seoul, March 21 – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited the site of a fire at an auto parts factory in the central city of Daejeon on Saturday to inspect relief efforts and meet with bereaved families and victims.
Lee made the visit a day after the fire, which left at least 14 people dead and 59 others injured, including two firefighters, according to the Yonhap news agency.
He was briefed on the casualties and ongoing disaster response, and urged fire authorities to take measures to prevent further safety incidents, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.
Lee also met with bereaved families and instructed authorities to provide regular updates on the cause of the fire and relief efforts, while ensuring proper support for the victims and their families.
He later visited a nearby hospital to meet with those injured in the incident.
A total of 170 workers were inside the plant when the fire was reported at around 1:17 p.m. on Friday.
Firefighters were earlier unable to enter the structure due to concerns that it could collapse. Also complicating the firefighting effort were 200 kilograms of sodium inside the building, which could explode if poorly handled.
The fire was fully extinguished after about 10 hours and 30 minutes, authorities said.
Fire officials are now using heavy equipment to remove debris as they continue searching for missing people.
The cause was not immediately known, but the blaze appeared to have spread rapidly, with witnesses reporting an explosion.
President Lee Jae Myung has called for the full mobilisation of personnel and equipment to contain the fire and support rescue operations.