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3 injured after live shell explodes during metal scrapping in Gangneung

Published: 28 Apr. 2025, 14:21

Police tape blocks access to a house in Gangwon on April 28 after an explosion the day before injured three people. [YONHAP]

An explosion involving a munitions shell occurred in a residential neighborhood in Gangneung, Gangwon, on Sunday.

Police and fire authorities announced Monday that the incident took place at around 4:32 p.m. the previous day in Gangneung's Ipam-dong, with the ordnance exploding during scrap sorting work.

An 84-year-old scrap dealer sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a major hospital in Wonju, Gangwon. An 80-year-old woman who was at the scene suffered first-degree burns across her body and was transferred to a specialized burn hospital in the Seoul metropolitan area. A 61-year-old woman also sustained injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

The scrap dealer is known to have operated a business by collecting and sorting scrap materials at his home.

Nearby residents told local news outlet Yonhap News Agency that at the time of the explosion, they "heard a sound like thunder, then the entire neighborhood filled with thick smoke and a strong, acrid smell."

The military reportedly retrieved about 10 shells from the scene.

Police and other authorities are investigating the exact origin of the shells.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]