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A pillar of fire shoots into the air after an explosion of unknown origin occurred at Daewon Industry, a fatty acid manufacturing plant located in Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on the morning of the 28th. / South Chungcheong Fire Service Headquarters

Police and labor authorities are investigating the cause of an explosion and fire at Daewon Industry in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, which left three employees dead. Having secured statements indicating that some workers were inspecting production valves at the time of the accident, police are examining the nature of the work performed and whether adequate safety measures were in place.

According to the South Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency and the Cheonan District Office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 29th, police are questioning production managers, company officials, and employees as witnesses.

Police have questioned three people so far and reportedly secured statements stating that most employees had evacuated the building after operations were suspended right before the accident, while a few workers remained behind to inspect valves.

Based on these statements, police are looking into the specific tasks underway at the time and verifying whether safety training and precautions were properly implemented. Labor authorities have also formed a 15-member dedicated investigation team to conduct witness interviews and analyze evidence. No individuals have been booked as suspects to date.

Police and labor authorities plan to conduct a joint forensic inspection with relevant agencies on the morning of the 31st. Ahead of the inspection, authorities restricted access to the site, set up police lines, and took photographic evidence of the scene.

Fire authorities suspect that the fire originated in a nine-story beef tallow refining tower. The structure was found to house facilities for extracting and refining beef tallow, a flammable substance.

Investigative authorities have also obtained witness accounts reporting flames on the fifth floor of the building. However, because the structure is elongated and sprawling, pinpointing the origin solely through witness statements remains difficult; authorities plan to confirm the exact origin and cause of the fire through the joint forensic investigation.

Earlier, at around 11:44 a.m. on the 28th, an explosion accompanied by fire broke out at Daewon Industry in Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. The incident resulted in the deaths of three workers, two of whom were confirmed to be Philippine nationals.

Another Philippine national in his 30s sustained second-degree burns across his entire body and was taken to a hospital. A firefighter dispatched to the scene also suffered a wrist injury from falling debris.

Daewon Industry is a manufacturer of fatty acids used in raw materials for tires and paints, with its headquarters and plant located in Cheonan.

                                                                                                         Seol So-young