ICHEON, South Korea, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Authorities Tuesday tried to learn what triggered explosions and fire that killed 40 workers trapped in the basement of a refrigerated warehouse in South Korea.
Another 10 workers were injured while seven others were reported to have escaped the Monday blaze that blew through the warehouse in Icheon, 50 miles southeast of Seoul, Yonhap news agency reported.
One survivor, Ahn Sun-shik, 51, said he felt a backdraft as he ran out. "As soon as I heard one of my colleagues shout 'Fire!' I felt I was being sucked back in by a gust of wind," he said.
The workers were installing refrigeration systems and completing other tasks in preparation of the two-story building's scheduled weekend opening, police said.
An investigative team was to inspect the warehouse to identify the cause of the fire, Yonhap reported. Some police officers suspected the basement boiler room caught fire, setting off three explosions. They said flammable gas may have been ignited by a spark from a welder's torch.
Workers had been welding in the building, which contained thinners and polyurethanes, the news agency said.
