South Korea lithium battery plant chief apologises after fire kills 23

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Authorities in South Korea concluded the search for a missing worker after a body was recovered on Tuesday, taking the death toll in a powerful explosion and fire at a lithium battery factory to 23. The blaze produced toxic smoke inside the warehouse that stored as many as 35,000 lithium batteries, causing the workers to lose consciousness and die within seconds, fire officials said. The operation continued overnight to find the missing worker, with fire authorities pressing 100 personnel and two rescue dogs on Tuesday to expand the search, Yonhap news agency reported. Firefighters and a police officer work outside of the site of a burnt battery manufacturing factory in Hwaseong, South Korea Officials from agencies including the National Forensic Service, police, and the fire department entered the factory as part of a joint investigation to determine the cause of the accident.