ULSAN — A fire accompanied by explosions broke out at a chemical products manufacturer in the Onsan National Industrial Complex in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, prompting the evacuation of about 7,000 workers at nearby sites. No injuries have been reported so far.
The fire started at about 9:41 a.m. on the 14th at a chemical products maker in Haknam-ri, Onsan-eup, Ulju-gun, according to the Ulsan Fire Headquarters. Flames shot up after five or six explosions were heard at the scene.
The fire began at an outdoor storage tank at the plant. The tank held 8,000 liters of toluene, a flammable liquid classified as a Class 4 hazardous material. Embers carried by the wind set off a secondary fire on a lawn at a neighboring business site.
All 16 workers inside the plant at the time escaped on their own, and no injuries have been confirmed. But as black smoke and fumes spread across the Onsan industrial complex, part of the S-Oil Shaheen Project Package 1 site nearby halted work and evacuated about 7,000 workers. Employees at other nearby businesses also moved to safe areas.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at about 10:04 a.m. and are working to extinguish the blaze. They have deployed about 200 personnel, three firefighting helicopters and one high-capacity water cannon vehicle, among other equipment. Crews are focusing on preventing the flames from spreading to other chemical storage tanks nearby.
Ulju-gun sent out a safety alert text message at 10:15 a.m., asking drivers to take detours and urging nearby residents to take precautions.
Police and fire authorities have obtained a statement from a company official, who said he heard a blast and the sound of an electrical spark near the piping at the tank's inlet, then shut off a valve, after which the explosion occurred. Authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage once the blaze is extinguished.