6 killed at chemical plant blast in South Korea
An explosion at a chemical factory in South Korea has left at least six people dead.
The incident took place on Friday when a waste water storage tank exploded at a chemical plant run by Hanwha Chemical Co. in the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan, located about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of the capital, Seoul.
Four workers were initially found dead at the scene. Rescuers later recovered the bodies of two others while rummaging through the mixture of debris and toxic waste water.
The exact cause of the blast was not immediately known, but a fire department official blamed gas trapped in the storage area for triggering the explosion.
A spokesman from Ulsan Nam Fire Station said the blast occurred as the victims were doing welding work on the tank to expand a waste water disposal facility.
"Gas from the waste water which had piled up inside the tank was apparently ignited by the welding torch", said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The blast ripped out the upper structure of the storage facility, causing it to collapse.
An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the incident, officials say, adding that they will look into whether or not the explosion was a result of negligence by workers.
AR/NN/HMV
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