A Korea Electric Power Corp. official enters the front gate of the Hanwha Aerospace plant in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, as the area remains cordoned off following an explosion Sunday morning. [Yonhap]
A Korea Electric Power Corp. official enters the front gate of the Hanwha Aerospace plant in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, as the area remains cordoned off following an explosion Sunday morning. [Yonhap]

An explosion at a Hanwha Aerospace plant in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, killed four people and sent two others to the hospital Sunday. The facility researches, develops and produces large weapons and rockets, and is registered as a Class A national critical infrastructure site.

Police and fire authorities said a report of an explosion at the Hanwha Aerospace plant in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, came in at around 10:59 a.m. Sunday. Responding firefighters issued a Level 1 emergency alert at 11:17 a.m. and deployed 25 vehicles and 85 personnel to fight the blaze and conduct rescue operations. The fire, sparked by an explosion of unknown cause, was largely brought under control by around 11:49 a.m.

Four people were confirmed dead and two were injured and transported to hospital. Fewer than 10 workers were on duty at the time, authorities said. The building where the explosion occurred is a three-story research facility. Police and fire officials believe the blast originated on the first floor and are focusing on the possibility that a fault in rocket propulsion equipment caused the explosion.

President Lee Jae-myung was briefed on the incident and ordered officials to "mobilize all available resources to rescue victims and bring the situation under control."


20ki@heraldcorp.com