Ten people have died and four remain missing after a fire at an auto parts plant in Daejeon, with 59 others injured. The blaze erupted on Friday afternoon, complicating rescue efforts due to collapse risks and 200 kilograms of sodium inside. Authorities began interior searches late Friday night.
A fire broke out at around 1:17 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2026, at a car parts manufacturing plant in Daejeon, South Korea. Some 170 workers were inside at the time, many on the second-floor break room as the blaze started near break time. The incident prompted a national firefighting mobilization order from the National Fire Agency. As of Saturday, ten people were confirmed dead—one body on the second floor and nine on the third—with four still unaccounted for and 59 injured, many from toxic gas inhalation or falls. The third-floor parking lot and fourth-floor rooftop suffered the most damage. Firefighters initially could not enter due to collapse risks and 200 kilograms of sodium that could explode. Overnight searches began around 10:50 p.m. Friday after safety checks, using unmanned robots, drones, and rescue dogs. An official said: “We plan to tear down the structures where the rescue dogs have already examined to deploy rescue workers and continue the search for those missing.” President Lee Jae Myung ordered all resources mobilized for rescue and fire containment, posting on social media: “I hope that the safety of those still unaccounted for will be confirmed as soon as possible.” Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung directed coordinated responses and victim support.
