A devastating fire broke out at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, South Korea on June 24, 2024, leading to the death of 22 employees. The conflagration, fueled by an initial series of explosions in a warehouse storing 35,000 battery cells, escalated swiftly, causing significant damage and loss of life.
The fire ignited around 10:31 a.m. and was mostly extinguished within approximately six hours. The factory, owned by Aricell, a leading battery manufacturer, is located in Hwaseong, a key industrial center about 90 minutes southwest of Seoul. The casualties included 18 Chinese employees, two South Koreans, and one Laotian. Additionally, two individuals suffered severe burns and are currently under medical care.
While the precise cause of the explosions is still under investigation, experts speculate that battery components might have accelerated the fire’s spread. “Battery materials like nickel are easily flammable, so the fire probably spread too quickly for workers to escape,” stated Kim Jae-ho, a Fire and Disaster Prevention professor at Daejeon University. Authorities noted that the victims might have succumbed rapidly to poisonous gases released during the explosion.
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea visited the site to supervise the response and express condolences to the bereaved families. Interior Minister Lee Sang-min underscored the necessity of preventing hazardous chemicals from contaminating the nearby area, signifying the government’s commitment to environmental and public safety.
This incident underscores the persistent safety issues plaguing South Korea’s industrial sector, despite recent legislative measures aimed at improvement. The nation has a history of deadly industrial accidents, often due to negligence and inadequate safety precautions. Two years prior, the government enacted laws holding corporate executives responsible in case of fatal accidents, in an attempt to bolster corporate accountability and worker safety.
The factory, established in 2020, manufactured lithium primary batteries for sensors and radio communication devices. Majority-owned by S-Connect, Aricell witnessed a 22.5% drop in its shares following the incident. The event has sparked concerns about safety standards in the burgeoning battery manufacturing industry, which is vital for the global supply chain of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
In light of the incident, the South Korean government proposed stricter safety regulations for energy storage systems (ESS). This includes the installation of ground-fault detectors, fire suppression systems, and devices to alleviate internal pressure in battery cells during thermal runaways, aiming to avert similar disasters and enhance the overall safety of battery manufacturing and storage facilities.
