3 dead in fire at paint material factory in South Korea

SEOUL – Three people were killed on Aug 28 in a fire at a factory operated by fatty acid manufacturer Daewon Industrial in Cheonan, in South Korea’s South Chungcheong province.The fire broke out at 11.44am local time in the Dongnam-gu factory, according to the South Chungcheong Fire Headquarters.A woman in her 70s was found in cardiac arrest after being trapped under falling debris, and two other people who had initially been reported missing were also found dead.The fire authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at 12.05pm, 21 minutes after receiving the initial report, and deployed 68 personnel and 37 fire engines to battle the blaze. Firefighters reportedly had difficulty entering the building due to the intense flames.The Cheonan city government sent an emergency alert urging nearby residents to exercise caution.Minister of Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung instructed the National Fire Agency, National Police Agency, South Chungcheong Province, Cheonan city government and other relevant authorities to mobilise all available personnel and equipment for rescue and firefighting operations, news reports said. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK