The explosion occurred around noon today at the Hanwha Aerospace factory in Daejeon, located about 150 km south of South Korea's capital, Seoul. Officials deployed about 100 firefighters to the scene, who fully extinguished the blaze in more than two hours.

The blast resulted in five fatalities, one person suffering full-body burns, and one person sustaining minor injuries. Local officials are currently clearing debris and searching for additional victims.

A plume of smoke rises after the explosion at the Hanwha Aerospace company factory on 1/6. Photo: Yonhap

The explosion appears to have occurred while employees were conducting cleaning activities involving explosives, according to Yonhap news agency. The Korea Herald reported that fire and police authorities are investigating the possibility that highly flammable rocket fuel ignited.

President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea has ordered a thorough investigation into the cause and called for measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Hanwha Aerospace is a subsidiary of Hanwha Group, one of South Korea's largest defense enterprises. The company specializes in manufacturing high-tech weapons, including various types of artillery, and aerospace components.

According to AFP news agency, the Hanwha Aerospace factory in Daejeon focuses on research and development, including advanced weapon technology and space-related systems. The facility is also responsible for developing large propulsion systems and tactical surface-to-surface missiles.

This is not the first fatal incident at the Hanwha Aerospace factory in Daejeon. Two previous explosions occurred at the facility in may 2018 and february 2019, resulting in five and three fatalities, respectively.