Samsung chemical leak kills one
06 February 2013
A toxic chemical leak at a Samsung Electronics chipmaking plant in South Korea on January 27 left one worker dead and four injured, the company has announced. The five repair workers were called to stop a leak of diluted hydrofluoric acid at the plant in the city of Hwaseong, 43 kilometres southwest of Seoul, a Samsung spokesman said.
One was taken to hospital with pains in his throat and chest but died hours later. The remaining four were also treated in hospital but released, the spokesman said.
The leak involved about two to three litres of acid and was contained the following day.
The acid is an acute poison that can damage lungs and bones and affect the nervous system, as well as burn the skin.
"The situation has been contained and Samsung will be investigating the circumstances of this unfortunate incident," the company said in a statement, offering its "deepest condolences" to the dead man's family.
Samsung is the world's top maker of smartphones, memory chips and flat-panel TVs.
Contact Details and Archive...