South Korean authorities have ordered the immediate suspension of operations at a lithium battery manufacturer following a tragic fire that claimed the lives of 23 people. The incident, which occurred on Monday at the Aricell factory located in the industrial hub of Hwaseong southwest of Seoul, is being investigated for potential safety violations.
The halt in operations was mandated by the labor ministry, with the company’s sole factory required to undergo thorough inspection, as confirmed by Min Gil-soo, a ministry official, during a briefing. Police reportedly conducted a raid on Aricell’s offices on Wednesday, although the identities of the company officials under investigation have not been disclosed. Violations of safety regulations in such cases can lead to criminal charges, including imprisonment.
Aricell’s CEO, Park Soon-kwan, issued an apology on Tuesday for the incident, asserting that the company had adhered to all prescribed safety protocols and training requirements. However, the fire, which engulfed the factory housing approximately 35,000 lithium batteries, resulted in rapid flames and toxic smoke that likely incapacitated workers within moments, according to fire officials.
The victims include three identified South Korean men, while the remaining 17 victims, all Chinese nationals, have yet to be formally identified due to severe injuries sustained in the blaze. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire, with scrutiny on Aricell’s employment practices, particularly concerning temporary foreign workers and their safety training.
Concerns about safety had been previously raised, as evidenced by an inspection report from March by the Hwaseong fire department, which highlighted potential risks, including the possibility of rapid combustion at the site of the fire. Despite these warnings, details regarding the fire department’s subsequent actions were not available for comment.
Established in 2020, Aricell operates with 48 full-time employees and specializes in manufacturing lithium primary batteries for various applications, including sensors and radio communication devices. Additionally, the company supplies batteries to the military for specific uses in communication and cryptographic devices, as confirmed by a spokesperson from South Korea’s defense procurement agency.
Aricell’s parent company, S-Connect, is involved in supplying lithium-ion battery components to Samsung SDI, a prominent player in South Korea’s secondary battery manufacturing sector. Despite this affiliation, Aricell itself operates outside the scope of the defense agency’s annual safety inspections, which focus primarily on other categories such as firearms and chemicals.