Fires Trigger Evacuations at Hospitals, Factories, and Schools Nationwide... Heightened Fire Safety Alert in Winter

[Financial News] A series of fires broke out across the country, prompting residents to evacuate. Fire authorities advised heightened caution, noting that the risk of fire increases during the dry winter months.
According to fire authorities, at around 5:50 a.m. on the 4th, a fire broke out at a urethane manufacturing plant in Ochang-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. Eighteen pieces of equipment and about 40 personnel were dispatched, and the main blaze was brought under control within about an hour of the report. No casualties have been reported so far. Fire authorities plan to investigate the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage once the fire is fully extinguished.
On the same day, at around 1:29 a.m., a report of smoke in a hospital restroom in Nam District, Gwangju was received. The hospital staff managed to extinguish the fire themselves immediately after calling 119, resulting in no injuries or property damage. However, more than 10 inpatients and others were evacuated as a precaution. Fire authorities believe the smoke originated from the restroom’s ventilation fan and are investigating the exact cause.
At around 7:35 p.m. the previous day, a fire broke out on the sixth floor of an apartment in Anrim-dong, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, sending five residents to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Dozens of other residents evacuated to safety. The fire burned approximately 80 square meters inside the apartment, causing an estimated 38 million KRW in property damage, according to the fire department. Police and fire authorities are investigating the precise cause of the fire.
On the evening of the 3rd, at around 7:42 p.m., a fire also occurred at a multi-family residence in Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. A woman in her 40s was transported to the hospital after inhaling smoke, and 10 people evacuated on their own. Fire authorities deployed 17 vehicles and 77 personnel, completely extinguishing the fire by 9:01 p.m., about 1 hour and 20 minutes after it started. The investigation found that the fire began in a Lithium-ion battery (Li-ion battery) of a radio-controlled car (RC car) that was charging.
An unexplained fire also broke out at an elementary school in Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do, forcing the emergency evacuation of more than 120 students and staff. According to Wando Fire Station, at around 1:29 p.m. the previous day, a fire started in a plastic umbrella stand placed at the main entrance of the school’s main building in Gogeum-myeon, Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do.
Black smoke from the burning plastic spread up the stairwell, leaving soot on the walls from the first to third floors and on the ceiling. Property damage is estimated at 2.54 million KRW by the fire department. The fire was extinguished within six minutes, but 121 people, including 94 students and 27 staff members, were evacuated, causing temporary confusion.
A fire official stated, “As temperatures drop, the use of heating devices increases and the air becomes drier, raising the risk of fires. Please strictly follow safety guidelines for electrical appliances such as heaters and batteries, and observe all fire prevention measures during the winter season.”


jjw@fnnews.com Jung Ji-woo Reporter