Five dead, two injured in fire at Hanwha Aerospace plant in South Korea

Five dead, two injured in fire at Hanwha Aerospace plant in South Korea
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Summary Five people were killed and two injured after an explosion-triggered fire at a Hanwha Aerospace factory in Daejeon, prompting an official investigation.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Five people have died and two ‌others were injured in a fire at a factory operated by South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace (012450.KS), opens new tab in the city ​of Daejeon, authorities said on Monday.

The two survivors, ​including one who was badly burned, had ⁠escaped from the facility themselves, a fire ​official told a briefing.

"Authorities have yet to identify ​the victims because their bodies were severely damaged," a health official told the same briefing.

A fire official said that ​an explosion had triggered the blaze, though ​the cause of the blast was still being investigated.

Hanwha ‌is ⁠a defence and aerospace company. Its factory in Daejeon produces large propulsion engines and handles rocket propellants.

Authorities were unable to obtain the factory's layout ​since it ​is protected ⁠under national security laws, an official said at the briefing.

South Korean ​President Lee Jae Myung called for the ​mobilisation ⁠of all available resources to respond to the accident and for an investigation, his office said ⁠in ​a text message to reporters.

A ​Hanwha Aerospace official said it was investigating the incident.

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