Devastating Explosion Rocks Daejeon Facility, Marking Third Major Incident in Eight Years
A catastrophic explosion at a Hanwha Aerospace facility in Daejeon has resulted in the deaths of five workers and injuries to two others. The incident, which occurred on June 1st, is the third major blast at the same site in the past eight years, bringing the total fatalities to 13 and the injured to six.
Explosive Circumstances Under Investigation
The explosion took place as workers were performing a final cleaning process on propellant containers. This involved mixing water and chemicals to wash away residual explosive materials. Propellant, the fuel for missiles and rockets, is typically made with aluminum and other substances, making it highly combustible.
A spokesperson for Hanwha stated, “Propellant becomes inert when mixed with water. We are investigating the cause of this explosion in what is considered a low-risk process.”
Expert Analysis Points to Static Electricity and Impact
Experts suggest that the explosion could have been triggered by static electricity generated during the cleaning process or by external impact. Professor Lee Deok-hwan of Sogang University’s Chemistry Department noted, “There’s a possibility the explosives detonated suddenly due to static electricity or external shock during the cleaning of the propellant in the container.” Professor Lee Chang-jin of Kookmin University’s Aeronautics and Astronautics department added, “Propellant contains aluminum, making it highly susceptible to static electricity. Static discharge could be the cause.”
Lee Chun-geun, a researcher at KAIST, described the incident as unprecedented, stating, “An explosion occurring while washing explosives is a rare event. The risk of accidents may have been greater than anticipated during the development of new high-performance missiles.”
A Pattern of Tragic Incidents
This latest disaster follows two previous explosions at the same facility. In May 2018, an explosion during the filling of rocket propellant containers killed five people and injured four. In February 2019, an explosion during the removal of propellant from a rocket engine resulted in three fatalities.
Investigations into both prior incidents identified ‘inadequate safety management’ as the primary cause. In 2018, workers reportedly struck a propellant-filled container with a rubber mallet when a filling device malfunctioned, causing an explosion due to the high risk associated with the propellant. The on-site safety manager at the time failed to intervene. The 2019 incident was attributed to residual static electricity inside a rocket engine reacting with propellant, as proper grounding measures were not in place.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Company Response
Following the 2018 incident, the Ministry of Employment and Labor conducted special inspections, identifying 486 violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act. In 2019, another 82 violations were found. Some in the industry have suggested that the facility, considered a critical national security asset, may have been overlooked in safety inspections.
A Hanwha representative acknowledged that while some procedures were automated after the 2018 and 2019 incidents, the process involved in the recent explosion was not. The company stated, “We assessed the risk as not being high and are surprised by this incident. We will thoroughly investigate the cause and implement improvements.”
However, the Hanwha Aerospace labor union expressed strong criticism, stating, “Given the inherent dangers of handling explosives, how could the company be so complacent about safety?” Union leader Heo Rok vowed to closely monitor all aspects of the investigation and the implementation of preventative measures.
Ongoing Investigation and Victim Identification
Authorities, including the police, fire department, and the National Forensic Service, are scheduled to conduct a detailed on-site investigation on June 2nd. Families of the deceased have gathered at hospitals where the victims’ remains have been taken. Identification is ongoing due to the severity of the injuries sustained. Police anticipate confirming the identities of the victims by June 2nd.
The five deceased workers include two individuals in their 50s, one in their 30s, and two in their 20s. The two younger victims were contract workers who had been employed for less than two years.
