SEOUL, June 1 — Five people have died, and two others were injured in a fire at a factory operated by South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace in the city of Daejeon, authorities said today.
A fire official told a briefing that the two survivors, including one who was badly burned, had escaped from the facility themselves.
"Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged," a health official said during the same briefing.
Another fire official said an explosion had triggered the blaze, though the cause of the blast is still being investigated.
Hanwha is a defence and aerospace company. Its factory in Daejeon produces large propulsion engines and handles rocket propellants.
Authorities were unable to obtain the factory's layout since it is protected under national security laws.
In a text message to the media, the office of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he has called for the mobilisation of all available resources to respond to the accident and for an investigation.
A Hanwha Aerospace official said it was investigating the incident.
