Korean steelmaking giant Posco dismissed the head of the Pohang Steelworks, Lee Dong-ryeol, on Friday, holding him responsible for a series of fatal industrial accidents at the plant this year — incidents that claimed two lives and left three others still unconscious after suffering cardiac arrest. Lee, a veteran steel engineer, had been in the post since January.
The company plans to keep the chief position at the steelworks vacant for now, with CEO Lee Hee-geun temporarily taking over management of the facility, according to industry sources.
The latest accident occurred Thursday at around 1:30 p.m., when six people were found unconscious after inhaling what authorities suspect was a toxic gas at the Pohang Steelworks in North Gyeongsang Province. All six were administered CPR at the scene. The victims included two cleaning contractors and one Posco employee. Several in-house firefighters who responded were also exposed but were not in life-threatening condition.
Police have launched an investigation, with officials citing carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause.
The steelworks has seen multiple serious incidents in recent months. On Nov. 5, a hydrofluoric acid leak at the same site killed a subcontractor from Posco DX and left three others with chemical burns. In March, a worker in his 40s employed by Posco PR Tech, the company’s equipment maintenance unit, died after becoming trapped in machinery during repair work at the cold-rolling plant.
The recent string of accidents has attracted renewed scrutiny of safety practices at Posco’s flagship steelmaking complex, one of the nation’s largest industrial sites.
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
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