A major fire broke out at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, prompting fire authorities to issue a Level 1 emergency response.
According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters, a witness reported the fire at around 9:40 a.m. Saturday at a pharmaceutical plant in Jeongmannyeom, Hyohaeng-gu, Hwaseong.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response, citing the possibility that flames could spread to nearby factories, and began suppression operations. A total of 80 firefighters and 28 pieces of equipment were deployed to the scene. A Level 1 response is an alert that mobilizes 31 to 50 units of firefighting equipment from three to seven nearby fire stations.
The building that caught fire is a single-story steel-frame structure with a total floor area of 195 square meters. Large quantities of chemicals used in pharmaceutical manufacturing were reportedly stored inside.
No casualties have been confirmed so far. Authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire and the extent of damage once the flames are extinguished.