Fatal fire at lithium battery plant exposes 5-year oversight lapse

Bereaved family members comfort one another at a memorial for victims of Monday's Aricell lithium battery factory fire at Hwaseong City Hall in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Aricell, a lithium battery plant that recently experienced a fatal fire resulting in 23 deaths, had not undergone any government industrial safety inspections in the past five years, despite the hazardous nature of the materials it was using, according to the Ministry of Labor and Employment.

Data obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Park Hae-cheol from the Ministry of Labor and Employment confirms that no government industrial safety inspections or supervision had been conducted at Aricell in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, during the past five years.

Annually, the Labor Ministry selects high-risk workplaces, particularly those involving dangerous machinery and hazardous substances, for industrial safety supervision and inspections.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act mandates the Ministry of Employment and Labor to oversee and inspect workplace safety to prevent industrial accidents and protect workers. High-risk workplaces, especially those handling hazardous materials or operating dangerous machinery, must undergo stringent safety inspections and comply with regulations.

The police are focusing their investigation into the deadly fire on two main aspects: determining the cause of the fire and understanding why there were such a large number of casualties.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's special investigation team on Friday announced they are intensifying their efforts. They consider the incident a disaster caused by comprehensive negligence rather than isolated factors.

Min Gil-soo, head of the Labor Ministry's special investigation team, told Friday's briefing that the government had completed work to prevent further damage.

Min explained that the "disposal of the waste electrolyte, which was left on the first floor of the affected building, was safely completed to prevent additional harm."

The electrolyte used in the batteries, which facilitates the movement of electrons between the cathode and anode in batteries, was highly flammable and could pose a significant risk.

Min also confirmed that the remains of all 23 victims had been identified as of Friday.

The final DNA results confirmed the identities of 17 Chinese nationals, five Koreans, and one Laotian among those who lost their lives in the fire, according to Min.

Chinese Consul General Zhong Hongnuo on Friday visited the memorial altar at Hwaseong City Hall to pay his respects to the victims. After paying tribute, he had a brief meeting with Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun to discuss the incident and extend support to the grieving families.

After the meeting, Zhong stated, "We will assist the bereaved families in managing the aftermath of the accident and work with the relevant departments of the Korean government to ensure proper compensation is provided."

He further told reporters, "We hope the Korean government will promptly investigate the cause of the fire and thoroughly explain the findings to the families, implementing effective measures to prevent future incidents."

Zhong also emphasized, "We must value and protect the lives and property of all workers, including Chinese nationals, and take steps to prevent such tragedies from happening again."

Fire trucks arrive at the scene of a fire at a battery manufacturing factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. (Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters)

By Lee Jaeeun(jenn@heraldcorp.com)