South Korea battery firm ordered to halt operations after major fire

South Korean authorities on June 26 ordered local lithium batteries manufacturer Aricell Co., Ltd. to halt operations after a deadly fire at its factory in the industrial hub of Hwaseong claimed the lives of 23 people, Reuters reported. The government is investigating three company officials for suspected safety violations. Fire officials said that flames engulfed the factory, where 35,000 lithium batteries were stored, and the spread of toxic smoke probably rendered workers unconscious within seconds.