A massive fire broke out at a tire factory in Daejeon on Sunday night that caused the hospitalization of eleven people, including a firefighter and ten workers, due to smoke inhalation.

According to fire authorities on Monday, the blaze occurred at Hankook Tire factory in Moksang-dong, Daedeok district at around 10:09 p.m. on Sunday and has not been extinguished as of Monday morning.

The first-stage response system was in place eight minutes later, with authorities gradually upgrading it to the third stage by 2:10 a.m. as over 100 vehicles and around 430 firefighters were dispatched to combat the fire.

With heavy plumes of smoke billowing to nearby apartments, the authorities are advising residents to refrain from going outside and to shut their windows. 

The fire is estimated to have begun in a tire curing machine and damaging some 400-thousand tires.