(LEAD) Worker seriously injured in bakery factory accident

▲ This undated file photo shows a Shani bakery factory in Seongnam, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) accident-bakery factory

(LEAD) Worker seriously injured in bakery factory accident

(ATTN: ADDS company's statement in paras 5-6)

SEONGNAM, South Korea, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- A 50-something worker sustained a serious injury while on duty at a bakery factory in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Tuesday.

The accident occurred at 12:41 p.m. at a bread-making factory operated by Shani. The worker became trapped in a dough machine after a colleague operated it without proper safety confirmation, according to police.

The injured worker was rushed to a hospital in a state of cardiac arrest, and later began breathing again and regained a heartbeat.

The police said they will investigate whether the factory adhered to safety rules.

Food and beverage giant SPC, the parent company of Shani, said it suspended operation of the facilities after the accident.

"Right after the accident, the employee received our first aid and emergency service, and was transported to the hospital. And the entire production line of the factory was immediately shut down," it said in a statement. "We express our deepest condolences to the worker and her family who have experienced an unfortunate accident."

The company vowed to cooperate with the police investigation.

SPC was hit last year by a fatal industrial accident at another subsidiary.

On Oct. 15, 2022, a 23-year-old worker lost his life while operating a sauce mixing machine at a factory operated by SPC-affiliated SPL in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul.

The police have referred five SPL officials to the prosecution for potential charges of professional negligence leading to death.

The Shani factory has also experienced prior safety-related incidents.

On May 12, a worker fractured his finger after it got stuck in a machine. On Oct. 23, 2022, another worker had his finger severed by a machine in a similar accident.

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