Anjeon Industry CEO referred to prosecutors after fatal Daejeon factory fire

Police in Daejeon have referred 13 individuals, including Anjeon Industry CEO Son Ju-hwan, to prosecutors following a massive factory fire in March that resulted in 14 deaths and 60 injuries.

Investigations revealed that the scale of the casualties was exacerbated by severe safety negligence. Long-term accumulation of flammable sludge in factory ducts and hoods allowed the fire to spread rapidly. Furthermore, the company had illegally constructed a mezzanine rest area that lacked proper fireproofing, causing flames to reach the space within two minutes. Nine of the fatalities were found in this unauthorized area.

Authorities also discovered that the company maintained a manual instructing employees to disable fire alarms before inspecting the site, which prevented timely evacuation. Additionally, several individuals face charges for evidence tampering, including the unauthorized removal of hard drives and the falsification of 15 safety assessment documents to hide prior negligence. While a subcontractor representative was not charged with professional negligence, they face separate investigation for illegal labor dispatching.