Fire at Korean car parts factory kills 14, injures 60

Fourteen people died ​and 25 were seriously injured in a fire at ⁠a car parts factory in the South Korean city ​of Daejeon, fire authorities said on Saturday.

Another 35 people suffered minor injuries, the fire authorities added.

They ​said the factory was owned by Anjun Industrial, which makes ​engine valves and is a supplier for Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp, ‌among ⁠others, according to its website.

The response was also hampered by sodium stored at the site, which can explode if improperly handled, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

Around 170 workers were at the plant when the fire erupted at about 1pm (4am GMT) on Friday, according to Yonhap.

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Reuters was unable to contact Anjun for comment.

In a statement on the company's website, CEO Sohn Ju-hwan apologised, adding that it would fully cooperate with authorities, investigate the ​cause of the ​accident, review its ⁠safety systems and inspections, and swiftly implement all necessary measures to prevent a recurrence.

“We understand that 11 are dead, 25 are seriously injured,” an official from the interior ministry’s department that handles fires and other disasters told AFP.

“We also understand that 34 have been injured but not in a serious condition, and three are still missing,” he added.

Officials have not said what may have caused the fire, which spread rapidly. A witness told Yonhap about hearing an explosion.

The government ​activated a centralised disaster management system after President ​Lee ⁠Jae Myung ordered all available resources to be used to deal with the fire and save lives.

The fire authorities said that ⁠one ​victim was found on the first ​floor, four on the second, and nine on the third.