On the 20th, a fire broke out at an automotive parts factory in Daejeon, claiming 14 lives and injuring 60 others. The incident, occurring during the day rather than at night, left many astonished at the extent of the human tragedy. Reports indicate that the factory faced frequent issues with fire alarms malfunctioning due to the presence of oily vapor, with many calls for the installation of exhaust systems to mitigate this hazard going unaddressed. Moreover, the factory was built with flammable sandwich panels, and illegal extensions such as a gymnasium inside hampered employees' ability to flee during the fire, highlighting a systemic safety negligence prevalent in industrial workplaces.

Further investigations revealed that the leadership of the Daejeon Safety Industry had neglected the extremely hazardous working environment, failing to implement adequate fire safety measures. VOily vapor accumulating from the use of cutting oil posed a significant risk, yet ventilation facilities remained insufficient. Additionally, the ceiling and fixtures were coated with intertwined grease, allowing flames to spread rapidly. During the fire, many of the 14 victims were trapped in the gym and break room, which were identified as illegal upper structures with only one window and poor evacuation routes, making escape nearly impossible for employees who were lunchtime patrons of these areas.

Safety training for employees was apparently perfunctory; while signatures were collected for allegedly receiving safety management training, employees reportedly had no real education, and only basic safety gear like work gloves and disposable masks were provided. Alarming also was the absence of fire extinguishers in the break room, despite the presence of many hazardous materials, including sodium, which requires specific extinguishing methods due to its incompatibility with water. The lapses in safety protocols reflect serious oversight, leading to tragic consequences in an industry already criticized for its neglect of worker safety.