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South Korea fire toll rises to 22 South Korea fire toll rises to 27
(about 1 hour later)
At least 22 people have died and 17 are reported to be missing after a fire at a warehouse in South Korea. At least 27 people have died and about a dozen are reported missing after a fire at a warehouse in South Korea.
Hundreds of firefighters have been drafted in to battle the blaze in Icheon, 80km (50 miles) south of the capital, Seoul.Hundreds of firefighters have been drafted in to battle the blaze in Icheon, 80km (50 miles) south of the capital, Seoul.
Thick, toxic smoke has caused problems for emergency crews, who say the death toll could rise.Thick, toxic smoke has caused problems for emergency crews, who say the death toll could rise.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but witnesses reported hearing explosions coming from the basement.The cause of the fire is not yet known, but witnesses reported hearing explosions coming from the basement.
A local restaurateur told Korea's Yonhap new agency: "There were loud bangs, flames shot up and one seriously burned woman ran into my restaurant crying for help." "There were loud bangs, flames shot up and one seriously burned woman ran into my restaurant crying for help," a local restaurateur told Korea's Yonhap news agency.
Senior fire department official Choi Jin-jong told Yonhap that the explosions had destroyed the firefighting equipment in the basement, making it harder to tackle the blaze.
The temperature inside the building was still too high to search for the missing, he said.
Another official told AFP news agency that 27 bodies had been recovered from the building.
"The death toll is expected to rise as a dozen workers are feared dead in the basement," he said.
Ten people have been taken to hospital suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.Ten people have been taken to hospital suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.
Icheon's fire department expressed concern that the death toll could rise. Yonhap reported that 57 people were in the building, a newly-built cold storage facility, when the fire broke out.
"Additional bodies could be found as we continue the rescue operation," official Jin Sung-hun told the Associated Press. Officials have said that the fire appeared to have started in the basement, where workers were using flammable painting materials.
Another department official told AFP news agency 21 workers had managed to escape from the warehouse when the fire broke out.
The official said that the fire appeared to have started in the basement, where workers were using flammable painting materials.