Deadly explosion at defence plant in South Korea kills five

A deadly explosion at a defence manufacturing plant in the South Korean city of Daejeon has killed five people and injured two others, according to authorities.

Local officials said the blast occurred at approximately 10:59 a.m. local time, after which a fire broke out, Caliber.Az reports, citing Korean media.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the mobilisation of all available resources for rescue and emergency response operations.

Firefighters are continuing efforts at the scene. Authorities said that once the fire is fully extinguished, investigators will begin determining the exact cause of the incident.

Preliminary reports suggest the explosion originated on the first floor of the plant and was triggered by the ignition of fuel used in propulsion systems.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov