By LeeHyo-sik
A housewife in Haman, South Gyeognsang Province, was seriously injured Friday after her washing machine — manufactured by LG Electronics — exploded.
Police said Sunday that the woman, surnamed Park, sustained severe burns over 50 percent of her body.
Park and her husband surnamed Hwang moved into a new apartment and installed the washing machine on their balcony, Thursday.
According to police, when Park tried to use it the next day, it suddenly blew up and she suffered burns after her clothes caught fire.
Hwang immediately took his wife to a nearby hospital and reported the incident.
He told police officers that balcony windows and other household items were damaged in the explosion.
Officers collected debris from the washing machine and kept the scene intact.
They plan to launch a joint probe into the incident with investigators from the National Forensic Service today to discover exactly what caused the machine to blow up.
Separately, LG Electronics has begun its own probe.
The company said the washing machine was powered by an electric motor, not by gas, ruling out the possibility that it exploded due to product defects.
The company suggested investigators look closely into the environment in which it was installed and operated.
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