Pohang: Up to six people fainted after inhaling what appeared to be toxic gas at POSCO's Pohang Steelworks, officials said. The accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. while contracted cleaners and POSCO employees were removing sludge outside a plant.

According to Yonhap News Agency, firefighting authorities, the police, and the company have provided conflicting reports on the extent of injuries. The initial reports indicated that three people were being treated in cardiac arrest, while another three were taken to hospitals with less severe injuries.

The police stated that the affected individuals include two contracted cleaners and four POSCO in-house firefighters. Among them, the two cleaners were in cardiac arrest and are currently receiving treatment at hospitals.

In contrast, the company reported that three individuals-a POSCO employee and two contracted cleaners-were transferred to hospitals after inhaling gas, with two of them in cardiac arrest. These discrepancies have made it challenging to determine the exact circumstances and impact of the incident.

Authorities have suggested that carbon monoxide poisoning might be the cause. This incident follows another at the same steelworks just two weeks prior, where one worker was killed and three others suffered burns due to exposure to chemical substances from damaged pipes.