55 investigators from police, labor ministry deployed

Probe focuses on safety measures at time of explosion

A police vehicle enters the Hanwha Aerospace facility in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on Thursday, as investigators from the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency and the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Daejeon office launched a search and seizure operation at the site and the company's Seoul headquarters following an explosion that left seven workers dead or injured. [Yonhap]
A police vehicle enters the Hanwha Aerospace facility in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on Thursday, as investigators from the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency and the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Daejeon office launched a search and seizure operation at the site and the company's Seoul headquarters following an explosion that left seven workers dead or injured. [Yonhap]

Police have launched a search and seizure operation at Hanwha Aerospace's Seoul headquarters and its Daejeon plant in connection with an explosion that left seven workers dead or injured.

The Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency said Thursday it was conducting searches at both locations.

A total of 55 investigators were deployed, including labor inspectors from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and detectives from the agency's wide-area investigation unit.

Investigators are seizing documents related to the propellant cleaning process, technical drawings and other materials needed to determine the cause of the blast. They also plan to examine records related to Hanwha Aerospace's safety and health management systems.

Authorities said they intend to focus on whether adequate safety measures were in place during the propellant cleaning work at the time of the explosion.

The blast occurred Monday in a cleaning room in Building 56 at the Daejeon plant during propellant-related cleaning operations, though the exact cause has yet to be determined. Five workers were killed, one was seriously injured and one sustained minor injuries.


20ki@heraldcorp.com