(MENAFN- AzerNews) Three employees were injured, one of them seriously, after a cosmetic material factory in the southern city of Yeongcheon exploded and caught fire Sunday, firefighters said, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap.

Firefighters received a report shortly before 1 p.m. that a chemical factory producing materials for cosmetics had exploded and caused a fire at an industrial complex in Yeongcheon, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The incident left one employee seriously injured and two others with relatively minor injuries, according to police. One employee was reported missing.

Fire authorities said the factory is surrounded by multiple structures, including dormitories, and that the fire was spreading.

A fire response alert, requiring all personnel from the local fire station, was issued, but firefighters had difficulty entering the factory due to intense flames and toxic smoke. Firefighting helicopters were leading efforts to extinguish the blaze.

The factory produces chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, used in cosmetics. Following the explosion, a convenience store about 300 meters away had its windows shattered, while residents in nearby apartments reported feeling shaking.

Fire authorities were investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the extent of the damage.

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