1 killed, 3 injured in boiler pipe explosion at thermal power plant in Seocheon

The explosion occurred at 10:54 a.m. at the boiler room on the fifth floor of the Seocheon Thermal Power Plant's main building in the namesake county, 166 kilometers south of Seoul, authorities said.

High-pressure steam released from the explosion left a worker in his 50s in cardiac arrest and three others injured with burns. The 50-something worker was moved to a hospital but pronounced dead, while the others were being treated at hospitals.

An initial investigation showed the accident took place while a checkup for the boiler valves was under way. The explosion did not lead to a fire, authorities said.

Police and fire authorities opened an investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion and whether the power plant was in compliance with relevant safety regulations.