Four people still out of contact after a fire at an auto parts factory in Daejeon are believed likely to be in the collapsed debris.
Nam Deuk-woo, head of the Daejeon Daedeok Fire Station, said at a press briefing on the 21st in the morning, "We believe the missing are in the collapsed section of the building, and we plan to proceed with demolition after a safety assessment."
He added, "Because there is a risk of collapse during demolition, once we decide which sections to remove first based on the safety assessment, we will begin searches there."
The part where the building sank is behind the east wing parking lot. After completing the building's safety assessment, fire authorities began a search for people by deploying rescue crews inside the factory building at about 10:50 p.m. on the previous day.
Searches were carried out in sections where the building had not collapsed, and at about 11:03 p.m. on the previous day one person was found at the entrance to the second-floor break room, and at about 12:20 a.m. on the day nine people were found in a space presumed to be a third-floor gym.
By 4:08 a.m., searches of sections considered safe were completed, but no additional missing persons were found.
At about 6:40 a.m. on the day, fire authorities deployed two search dogs inside the factory to continue the search.
Casualties totaled 69, including 10 deaths and 59 injuries. Four people are missing.
Among the 10 who died, the identity of one man in his 40s has been confirmed, and identification procedures, including family and DNA testing, are underway for the remaining nine.