Photo : YONHAP News
The government on Tuesday announced plans to prevent the recurrence of lithium battery plant fires, in response to the incident in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province that killed 23 people in June.
Among the latest measures, the government announced it would revise the enforcement ordinance of the Act on Fire Prevention and Safety Control by next year to designate lithium batteries as ‘special combustibles’ and establish management standards for loading, storing, and labeling.
Special combustibles are materials that quickly spread fire when lit and are difficult to extinguish, such as cotton, rice straw and coal.
The government also plans to strengthen facility standards to prevent the spread of fires at lithium battery plants and designate and manage factories considered high-risk.
It also vowed to promote the development of fire extinguishers that can neutralize lithium battery fires more effectively.