Fire at the Dangjin lithium battery factory was successfully tackled within 8 hours using cutting-edge equipment.

Prevent the spread in the early stages with cutting-edge equipment such as unmanned waterproof vehicles... First visit 8 hours after occurrence

(Dangjin = Yonhap News) Reporters Kim So-yeon and Lee Joo-hyung = At 7:24 a.m. on the 31st, a fire broke out in a warehouse building at a lithium battery factory in Hapdeok-eup, Dangjin-si, Chungcheongnam-do.

Firefighting authorities dispatched after receiving the report deployed 60 pieces of equipment, including unmanned firefighting robots, and 165 personnel, and succeeded in making the first attack at 3:22 p.m., 7 hours and 58 minutes later. However, as of 10:30 p.m., more than 15 hours later, complete control had not been reached.

There have been no casualties reported so far due to this fire.

According to the Chungnam Fire Department, lithium battery fires have the characteristics of rapidly expanding combustion or not being extinguished easily once a fire occurs due to thermal runaway phenomenon.

From the beginning of the fire on this day, fire authorities quickly deployed and operated cutting-edge special equipment such as unmanned firefighting robots and unmanned waterproof vehicles.

Firefighting authorities believe that an unmanned firefighting robot and an unmanned water destructor vehicle penetrated the exterior wall, quickly waterproofed the fire, and prevented the fire from spreading throughout the factory, making initial suppression relatively easy.

Previously, Dangjin City notified residents of the fire through a disaster text message and asked residents to be careful and refrain from going out.

Firefighting authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire and the extent of damage as soon as all fires are extinguished.

An official from the Chungnam Fire Department said, "We are currently remaining at the scene and monitoring the back fire, so there is little chance of re-ignition or expansion of the fire."