Fire at chemical plant in South Korea: Approximately 7,000 evacuated

A fire broke out at a chemical plant located in the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea, at around 09:40 local time. The fire started in an 8,000-liter toluene tank, a highly flammable substance, in the open area of the facility and quickly spread. Due to the wind, sparks jumped to neighboring facilities, and the flames threatened other storage tanks, prompting a national fire alarm. Approximately 7,000 workers at a nearby petrochemical plant construction site and personnel from surrounding businesses were evacuated as a precaution due to the dense black smoke and toxic odor.

More than 200 personnel, firefighting helicopters, and specially equipped vehicles were dispatched to the area from surrounding cities. It was reported that all 12 employees working at the factory were safely evacuated and that no one was injured or killed in the incident. The fire was completely brought under control and extinguished by 13:50 with the intervention of the teams, and an investigation into the cause of the fire has been initiated.