SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - SK Hynix confirms no production disruption after minor pipe spark at Cheongju plant
SK Hynix reported zero disruptions to semiconductor production following a minor spark at its Cheongju plant in South Korea, despite the incident triggering the evacuation of 3,600 employees. The company stated that no major injuries occurred during the maintenance work and manufacturing operations remain fully intact.
The incident began at 10:32 a.m. on the 1st in a sixth-floor gas room connecting the M15 and M15X facilities at the Cheongju 4 campus. A slight spark during pipe maintenance caused a fire and a toxic hydrogen fluoride gas leak, which reached a concentration of 5 ppm. Sprinklers immediately activated and extinguished the fire.
Ten employees were working at the scene when the incident occurred. Five workers experienced stinging eyes, while two others showed no symptoms. All seven individuals were transported to an affiliated in-house hospital for precautionary medical checkups due to their proximity to the leak.
Immediately after the gas was detected, SK Hynix evacuated all personnel from the two factory buildings. "We are operating environmental purification equipment to carry out disaster prevention work," an SK Hynix official said. Employees will return to work once air quality measurements and safety inspections are complete.
The company emphasized that the root cause was a minor pipe spark and that all medical evaluations were strictly preventative. "There is no major impact, factory disruption, or production volume issue," the official said.
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