Mayor Kim Sang-wook Visits Fire Scene at Bangeojin Live Fish Center to Comfort Affected Merchants

【Financial News Ulsan=reporter Choi Soo-sang】 As the summer sales season was in full swing, an unexpected fire forced the Bangeojin Live Fish Center in Dong District, Ulsan Metropolitan City, to suspend operations, deepening the worries of merchants. With the cause of the fire believed to be electrical, Mayor Kim Sang-wook visited the site, comforted the affected merchants, and said the city would actively support a swift recovery.
The Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency, Ulsan Fire Headquarters, and the National Forensic Service conducted a joint investigation at the scene for about an hour and 30 minutes starting at 11 a.m. on the 24th. Based on CCTV footage, they focused on identifying the exact point of ignition and the cause of the fire, believing smoke first rose near the ceilings of shops No. 14 and No. 15 inside the center. Investigators are currently looking into the possibility that the fire was caused by an electrical issue. The blaze is also believed to have spread because styrofoam boxes used for storage or packaging had been piled up around the ignition point.
It was also confirmed that the fire alarm was activated at the time, but no sprinkler system had been installed because the facility did not meet the required area standard.
Meanwhile, Mayor Kim visited the site that day, encouraged officials investigating the cause of the fire, and comforted the affected merchants. The merchants voiced concerns about their immediate livelihoods and urged the installation of temporary sales facilities if recovery is delayed, ahead of the Chuseok holiday shopping season.
In response, Mayor Kim said, "We will move forward with the recovery process as quickly as possible," adding, "If Dong District prepares a remodeling plan, the city will support it with subsidies."
The fire at the Bangeojin Live Fish Center broke out at around 10:43 p.m. on the 22nd. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but 33 of the 62 shops, including 59 currently in operation, were completely burned, while 29 suffered partial damage.
Dong District, which has jurisdiction over the area, has formed a task force to handle the aftermath of the fire and is working on support for affected merchants and facility restoration.



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