South Korean Steel Mill Reports Weekend Fire

A section of a South Korean steel mill closed for maintenance erupted in flames Saturday morning.

The 500-square-meter POSCO steel mill in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, burned for nearly two hours before firefighters could gain control, local media reports. The mill specializes in stainless steel.

Authorities report that welding work was under way when flammable material nearby burst into flames shortly after midnight. However, because the area of the fire was closed for maintenance, the fire will not disrupt production.

Workers immediately evacuated the mill with no injuries reported. At the height of the fire, 30 fire engines and 400 firefighters were on the scene, media reports.

The Pohang mill has a history of fatality accidents. In January 2018, leaking nitrogen asphyxiated four contact workers at the mill’s oxygen plant. In February 2019, a worker suffered a fatal injury when hit by a crane.