Overview
- Police and labor officials, who raided Anjun Industrial on Monday, seized blueprints, surveillance video, computers and phones while confirming 13 of 14 victims and continuing DNA tests on the rest.
- Nine of the dead were found in a 330-square-meter duplex lounge and gym that did not appear on the building plan and was created after a 2014 expansion, which left few escape options once smoke filled the room.
- Fire authorities say oil mist, cutting-fluid residue and dust likely fed the blaze, and records show roughly 100 to 101 kilograms of sodium metal on site in excess of legal limits, forcing crews to manage explosion risk before full suppression.
- Official data detail seven prior fires at the complex since 2009 and recurring defects such as weak fire-pump pressure, broken detectors and faulty exit lights, while workers report small blazes were often handled in-house and safety pleas about oil vapor and ventilation went unanswered.
- President Lee Jae-myung apologized and ordered broad checks of high-risk workplaces, and Hyundai and Kia said they would rely on engine-valve inventories and seek alternate suppliers to steady production while the plant remains offline.