Firefighters have extinguished around 80 percent of the blaze at a Kumho Tire factory in the southwestern city of Gwangju after it broke out on Saturday, with authorities aiming to put out up to 95 percent by later Sunday.

Kim Kwan-ho, head of the Gwangju Gwangsan fire agency, stated that as of 9 a.m. Sunday, approximately 80 percent of the fire had been contained, with ongoing efforts to further suppress the flames using large tarps and high-performance chemical vehicles.

Despite an earlier forecast to downgrade the national fire service mobilization order, authorities have postponed the decision, citing persistent heavy smoke and their intent to deploy maximum equipment and personnel to swiftly extinguish the remaining fire.

Authorities suspect the fire ignited around 7:11 a.m. Saturday when sparks from an industrial device used to heat rubber came into contact with flammable materials.

One factory worker and two firefighters sustained injuries, while 176 residents from nearby apartment complexes evacuated to a university facility.