Massive fire devastates Kumho Tire's Gwangju plant in South Korea; national response order issued


Smoke billows from a Kumho Tire plant in Gwangju on Saturday (May 17). - Photo: Yonhap

SEOUL: Kumho Tire suspended production at its Gwangju plant on Saturday (May 17) after a massive fire engulfed a major section of the facility, prompting authorities to issue a nationwide firefighting mobilisation order as the blaze continued to spread.

The fire, which started around 7.11am at the factory in Gwangju, some 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has rapidly spread through plant buildings, with flames reportedly reaching as high as 100 meters, according to fire officials.

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