Air conditioner exploded in Iksan home. Then its seven residents vanished

Korea Herald

18 hours ago

Authorities suspect the residents, who were foreign nationals, fled to avoid law enforcement
South Korean police are searching for seven foreign nationals who disappeared after an air conditioner explosion in a residential building in Iksan, North Jeolla Province.
The blast happened around 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday, on the fourth floor of an apartment in Buseong-dong, according to local fire authorities. The explosion damaged glass balconies in three nearby units and shattered the windows of cars parked below. No injuries were immediately reported.
What raised concern, however, was that the seven foreign workers living in the apartment vanished shortly after the incident. Authorities believe they may have fled the scene to avoid contact with law enforcement.
Police said the workers were employed in woodworking and construction jobs, and had been living in shared housing arranged by a job site supervisor. According to the police, the explosion occurred while a repair technician was checking the air conditioning system for a refrigerant leak using nitrogen gas. Investigators believe one of the residents may have turned on the unit mid-repair, causing the blast.
Officials are now trying to determine whether any of the individuals were injured or sought medical treatment elsewhere. At the same time, the immigration authorities have been notified in order to verify their legal status. Police are also investigating whether any of the workers may be undocumented.
As of Thursday afternoon, the missing individuals had not been located. The investigation is ongoing.