A fire is seen at an auto parts manufacturing plant in Munpyeong-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, on the afternoon of the 20th. [Yonhap News] 

All 14 individuals who were unaccounted for at the safety industrial fire site in Munpyeong-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, have been recovered as deceased.

The fire is expected to be recorded as a major disaster, with a total of 74 individuals injured or deceased, including casualties.

Several factors are believed to have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, including cutting fluid and oil residue within the factory, and a self-made 'two-story duplex' structure.

Employees desperately jump to escape as black smoke billows from a fire at an auto parts manufacturing plant in Munpyeong-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, on the afternoon of the 20th. 2026.3.20 [Provided by reader Kim Young-soo] 

◇ 'Hellish Chaos' Amidst Rapidly Spreading Flames... National Fire Mobilization Order Issued

The fire at Safety Industrial, an auto parts manufacturer, broke out around 1:17 PM on the 20th.

Fire authorities reported that the fire is currently presumed to have originated on the first floor.

Black smoke rapidly spread to the second and third floors via the stairs.

Fire authorities analyzed that the spread was rapid due to cutting fluid and other substances used in the processing, which were present throughout the building.

It is reported that the scene was one of pandemonium as flames suddenly erupted during lunchtime when most workers were resting.

Some individuals desperately escaped the building by jumping out before firefighters could even arrive.

During the evacuation, some suffered fractures or injuries, and others inhaled smoke.

One employee who narrowly escaped recounted, "There was only black smoke everywhere, and I couldn't find my way out, so I thought I was going to die." He added, "I held on by the window, but some elderly people had fainted, and some people jumped out the window."

Due to the rapid occurrence of multiple casualties, fire authorities issued a Level 1 response just 9 minutes after the report, followed by a Level 2 response 14 minutes later.

Subsequently, a national fire mobilization order was issued at 1:53 PM.

Through a full-scale response, including the deployment of helicopters to spray water on the factory, the fire was completely extinguished around 11:48 PM. However, 14 people who could not escape were unaccounted for.

Fire officials conduct a search for victims at the building of Safety Industrial in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, where a major fire occurred on the afternoon of the 21st. [Yonhap News] 

◇ All Found Deceased After One Day of Search

Fire authorities began a full-scale search inside the building with rescue teams in groups of four around 10:50 PM the previous day, after the fire was largely extinguished.

About 10 minutes after starting the search for the missing persons in areas deemed safe for entry, a man in his 40s was found deceased at the entrance to the second-floor lounge at 11:03 PM.

About an hour later, at 12:20 AM on the 21st, nine deceased individuals were found in the duplex space of the second-floor lounge.

This area, known as the gym, is where employees reportedly took naps during their break times.

The search continued the following day, focusing on the collapsed sections.

Using heavy equipment to clear debris, searchers began looking for the missing persons, centering on areas where detection dogs reacted.

With the deployment of human detection dogs, the remaining four missing persons were all discovered between 12:10 PM and 5:00 PM.

Approximately 28 hours after the fire broke out, the search for the missing concluded, bringing the total number of deceased to 14.

The number of injured was tallied at 60, including 25 seriously injured and 35 with minor injuries. Among these, two were firefighters injured during the suppression efforts.

The building of Safety Industrial in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, where a major fire occurred, stands with only its skeletal structure remaining on the afternoon of the 21st. [Yonhap News] 

◇ Why the Heavy Toll... "The Second-Floor Duplex Was Not on the Blueprints"

It was revealed that the gymnasium, where nine deceased individuals were found simultaneously, was an arbitrarily created duplex space that was not present on the blueprints.

Consequently, it was initially reported as a 'third-floor gymnasium'.

To install machinery, this building has a significantly high ceiling of 5.5 meters.

This resulted in a substantial unused space between the ramp leading to the third-floor parking lot and the third floor itself.

Daedeok-gu explained that this space appears to have been enclosed to create a duplex area for use.

Park Kyung-ha, head of the Housing Landscape Division at Daedeok-gu, stated, "This space is not part of the official blueprints," adding, "We speculate that a separate staircase was built to access it from the window area."

This structure is being analyzed as a potential reason for the high casualty toll.

As the original second floor was divided into two levels, windows were only present on one side, with no windows on the front.

It is also speculated that the fire, which occurred while employees were using this area as a lounge for naps, made evacuation particularly difficult.

Son Joo-hwan, CEO of Safety Industrial, stated on the company's website, "We offer our deepest condolences and sincerest apologies to all those who lost their precious lives and were injured in this accident, and to their families."

He continued, "The company is currently prioritizing the search for the missing and the treatment of the injured in cooperation with relevant agencies," and pledged, "We will fulfill our responsibility to provide necessary support and disaster recovery to offer tangible assistance to those affected and their bereaved families."

Police and the prosecution have formed a dedicated investigative team to determine the exact cause of the fire. Relevant agencies plan to conduct a joint inspection soon.

An aerial view of the exterior of Safety Industrial in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, where a major fire occurred, on the morning of the 21st. [Yonhap News]