Unfortunately, it happens quite often that lithium-ion batteries explode, sometimes causing serious material and physical damage, or even death in the worst case. In India, a man found himself seriously injured after the sudden explosion of his OPPO A53 a few years ago.
The drama that has just occurred in South Korea is on a completely different scale. This Monday, the explosion of several lithium batteries in a factory created a gigantic fire, causing the death of 22 people.
Lithium battery explosion kills 22 at South Korea factory
Monday morning, around 10:30 a.m., several lithium batteries exploded at the South Korean Aricell factory, which specializes in their manufacturing. The building located in Hwaseong, south of Seoul and containing more than 35,000 batteries, quickly caught fire afterwards, leaving no time for the workers to escape.
The fire started in Building 3 where around 100 employees were inspecting and packing items. Kim Jin-young, the local fire chief who responded to the scene, said that 18 Chinese workers, one Laotian, two South Koreans and an unidentified employee lost their lives in the tragedy. “ Most of the bodies are badly burned and it will take time to identify them » he told AFP.
Firefighters were unable to immediately enter the factory for fear of further explosions. The cause of the lithium battery explosion has not yet been identified. Unfortunately, this type of accident is not so rare given that lithium batteries, used in electric cars or even mobile phones, contain extremely flammable materials.
Read > 100 tons of lithium batteries explode in the United States
“ Liquid electrolytes, which are commonly used in lithium batteries, contain volatile and flammable organic solvents. In the event of a battery leak or rupture, these solvents can ignite on contact with air, causing fires that are difficult to extinguish and can be particularly dangerous. », explains Smartrium, specialist in fire protection.
Local authorities ask Hwaseong residents not to leave their homes due to the toxic fumes released by the gigantic fire.
