South Korean authorities order battery maker to halt operations over deadly blaze

S Connect Co

26/06/2024 04:25

By Hyunsu Yim
       SEOUL, June 26 (Reuters) - South Korean authorities on
Wednesday ordered a lithium battery maker to halt factory
operations indefinitely after a fire killed 23 people and said
three company officials were under investigation on suspicion of
having violated industrial safety laws.
    The fire at unlisted battery maker Aricell on Monday was one
of the deadliest industrial accidents in recent years. Each year
dozens of workers in South Korea lose their lives on the job
despite tougher laws and other efforts to improve safety.
    The company, located in Hwaseong, an industrial hub
southwest of Seoul, was ordered to shut down its only factory
for inspections, labour ministry official Min Gil-soo told a
briefing.
    The names and titles of the Aricell officials under
investigation were not disclosed. Violations of the 2022
industrial safety code can result in jail terms for fatal
accidents.
    Aricell Chief Executive Park Soon-kwan apologised on Tuesday
for the fire but said the company had complied with all safety
regulations and training requirements. 
    The factory which had 35,000 lithium batteries stored at the
time of the fire was quickly engulfed and the spread of toxic
smoke likely left workers unconscious within seconds, fire
officials have said.       
    Only three of the dead - who were South Korean men - have
been identified. The others including 17 Chinese have yet to be
identified due to the severity of damage to the bodies.
    Investigators have begun a probe to determine the cause of
the blaze amid questions about Aricell's hiring of foreign
workers on a temporary basis and whether they received adequate
safety training. 
    Established in 2020, Aricell has 48 full-time employees and
makes lithium primary batteries for sensors and radio
communication devices.
    Its parent company, S-Connect  096630.KQ , supplies
lithium-ion battery parts to Samsung SDI  006400.KS , one of the
country's major secondary battery makers.


 (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim and Jack Kim;  Editing by Edwina
Gibbs)
 ((jack.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +822 6936 1455;))