The labor union of Safety Industry in Daejeon, where a major fire left 74 people dead or injured, said management failed to properly handle safety.
Hwang Byung-geun, Chairperson of the Safety Industry labor union, told reporters in front of the plant on the 22nd, "This accident is not a simple disaster but a grave man-made catastrophe stemming from a structural management problem that prioritized profit over safety."
Hwang, the Chairperson, said, "The union has demanded improvements from management regarding the fire risk of environmental facilities and dust collectors at industrial safety and health meetings and other working-level talks," adding, "In particular, out of concern over the accumulation of oil vapor and sludge, we called for periodic inspections and cleaning of the dust collection systems."
He added, "Management's dismissal of the union's repeated safety warnings and on-site concerns ultimately led to the disaster."
Hwang, the Chairperson, also said the union would verify the facts regarding claims that frequent false alarms from fire detectors inside the plant worsened the damage.
Hwang, the Chairperson, said, "We strongly demand that management accept responsibility, apologize, and compensate the victims," adding, "The union will use every means at its disposal to fight until accountability for the accident is established."
At about 1:17 p.m. on the 20th, a major fire broke out at Safety Industry, an auto parts manufacturer in Munpyeong-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, killing 14 and injuring 60, for a total of 74 casualties.
Police said they plan to conduct a joint forensic inspection with related agencies and the bereaved families to determine the cause of the fire as soon as the site is secured.