14 DAY TRIAL // As if to start the year on a sour note, LG is dealing with a double tragedy that took place at its OLED panel production company near Paju, South Korea, where two employees died as a result of a gas leak.
Nitrogen gas is colorless and odorless, making it very difficult to detect. What makes it dangerous, however, is that it displaces oxygen, essentially suffocating people to death just by spreading in large enough quantities.
The factory where the accident occurred, known as P8, manufactures screens for large-size televisions. Or used to, but now it has stopped all operations.
It's unlikely that the factory will close down. Odds are higher that the plant will stay closed only until the cause of the incident is identified, and the necessary maintenance work is completed.
LG will have to get the South Korean labor ministry off its back first, but that goes without saying.
As trivial as it is next to the death of two people, this has also caused concerns that LG will have to delay the launch of some of its highly anticipated next-gen OLED TVs. The company did not comment on this, however, though spokespersons did express sorrow over the tragedy.
At least it's not a string of suicides like the one that drove Foxconn and Apple to call exorcists back in 2013, although it's little comfort.