Police investigating the cause of the Daejeon Safety Industry fire, which left 74 people dead or injured, have entered an allegedly unauthorized, expanded break room where a large number of victims were found and are conducting a forensic examination.
On March 25, the Daejeon Police Agency said forensic teams entered the space to inspect structural damage, soot patterns and burn directionality, and are analyzing photographs and other evidence.
Earlier joint inspections by related agencies were unable to enter the break room because of safety concerns. Nine of the 14 fatalities in the incident were discovered in that area.
Police say they will investigate whether the expansion was illegal and, alongside determining the cause of the fire, will examine why evacuation from the space was difficult.
Investigators also carried out searches at Safety Industry’s headquarters and its second plant in Daehwa-dong, and at company offices. Authorities seized 256 items of evidence — including architectural plans, safety work logs, fire-response documents and nine mobile phones belonging to executives — and have opened an inquiry.
So far, police have interviewed 45 people, including company officials, injured workers and representatives of related contractors. Officials say they have obtained statements asserting that workers’ safety concerns were raised internally but dismissed by higher management.
Multiple internal sources have told investigators that safety problems at the factory were severe. The company’s union says it urged management to improve workplace conditions three days before the disaster.
At a regular labor-management meeting on March 17, the union discussed overall management issues and reiterated that “improvements to the work environment always feel insufficient,” according to participants.
Based on analysis of seized materials, police plan to consider whether to seek charges against Safety Industry CEO Son Juhwan and other responsible parties for professional negligence causing death and injury. Son is already under investigation by the Daejeon Employment and Labor Office on alleged violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
A fire broke out at the Daejeon Safety Industry plant on March 20, killing 14 people and injuring 60.
