SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Three people were found dead and two others were injured on Friday as a fire, triggered by an expansion, broke out at a paint materials factory in South Korea, according to Yonhap news agency.
The blaze started at about 11:44 a.m. local time (0244 GMT) at the factory, which produces paint raw materials and other fatty acids, in Cheonan, some 85 km south of Seoul.
One body, who was discovered near the scene and transferred to a nearby hospital, was later identified as a cafeteria worker in his or her 70s.
Following a search operation for two missing foreign workers, two additional bodies were recovered on the stairwells of the sixth and eighth floors. The police were working to identify the two bodies.
The fire authorities issued a "level 1" response phase, deploying all available personnel and equipment from a local fire station to contain the flames.
As toxic smoke began to spread, the municipal government issued an emergency disaster alert, urging residents to prioritize their safety and advising drivers to take alternative routes around the area. ■
