HÀ NỘI — Two Vietnamese workers were killed and two others injured in an explosion at a chemical plant in Wonju city, the east of the Republic of Korea (RoK), on Saturday.

The RoK’s Yonhap News Agency reported the incident took place at around 9:45am (Korea time), sending out plumes of black smoke from the plant of the Foosung Precision Industry Co, which makes fluoropolymer lined tanks, pipes and valves.

The two casualties were Chu Văn Dương, born in 1987, and Tăng Văn Khánh, born in 1990.

Vương Đắc Khải, 21, suffered third-degree burns to his face, while the other, Đỗ Quốc Hùng, 29, had second-degree burns to his legs and a broken left leg, a fire-fighting official said, adding that the two dead were taken to Wonju Medical Centre.

The four were all legal labourers, working in South Korea under the country’s Employment Permit System, according to the Vietnamese Labour Management Board in South Korea.

An official of the Wonju Severance Christian Hospital said treatment was underway for the injured but did not provide any further details on their condition.

An official of the Foosung Precision Industry Co declined to give any details on the incident, but police said the cause was likely due to a short-circuit during welding.

Right after getting the information, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs directed the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK to verify the information and promptly take measures for citizen protection to ensure the rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens.
As informed by the embassy, earlier on November 9, a blaze occurred at a low-cost dormitory-style housing facility in Jongno district of Seoul, killing six people and injuring 12 others. This is home to 50 people, including two Vietnamese students. So far, the embassy has managed to contact with the two Vietnamese who confirmed that they are not injured.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested the embassy to keep a close watch on the case and coordinate with local authorities to help the two students to settle down. — VNS