Chinese worker missing in ROK blast

SEOUL - One Chinese worker went missing and another was injured in a gas explosion at an adhesive manufacturing plant in a city south of Seoul that killed two people, left two missing and injured eight, the Chinese embassy said Tuesday.

He Ying, consul general at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, told Xinhua that shortly after the blast, the embassy sent officials to the scene to handle the issue, and asking authorities of Republic of Korea to make full rescue efforts.

The explosion, which occurred at around 11:35 a.m. local time (0235 GMT) Monday, leveled one building and damaged three others at a factory in Hwaseong, 60 km south of the capital, police and fire officials said.

Two bodies had been found so far, while two workers remained unaccounted for and eight others were injured and taken to nearby hospitals, they added.

Police suspected the blast may have been caused by overheating in a tank while workers were mixing solvents to make glue and resin for paint. Further investigation is underway.