'Anjeon Industrial Co., Ltd. Fire in Daejeon' Leaves 74 Dead or Injured... Police Refer 13, Including CEO, to Prosecution

[Financial News] In connection with the fire at the Munpyeong factory of Anjeon Industrial Co., Ltd. in Daedeok District, Daejeon, which resulted in 74 casualties last March, the police referred 13 people, including the factory representative responsible for improper safety management and the spread of the fire, to the prosecution without detention.
The Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 17th that it had referred 13 people, including Anjeon Industrial CEO Mr. Son (77), to the prosecution without detention on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death or injury, violation of the Firefighting Facilities Act, and falsification and alteration of evidence, while one subcontractor representative was not referred.
According to an analysis by the National Forensic Service, the fire began when an unidentified spark ignited oil residue and flammable materials (sludge) that had accumulated over a long period inside the dust-collection equipment and local exhaust system on the first floor of the factory's copper-pipe building. However, the analysis concluded that it was difficult to identify the specific process or ignition source.
The decisive causes of the large number of casualties were illegal expansion and damage to fire compartments. A rest area known as the "mezzanine" in the East Wing was illegally expanded, and fire compartments were unlawfully damaged in the process of securing a passageway. As a result, within just two minutes of the fire breaking out, flames and toxic gases rapidly entered the rest area through fire doors that had been left open, increasing the number of casualties. Nine people were found dead in the illegally expanded space.
A construction company official who expanded the space without authorization was charged with violating the Framework Act on the Construction Industry.
It was revealed that Anjeon Industrial had created a manual and conducted training since 2017–2018 instructing employees to arbitrarily disable the alarm function of fire alarm receivers before checking the fire scene. Investigators found that the alarm function had also been disabled on the day of the fire, causing the critical window for the initial response to be missed.
An organized attempt by the company to cover up the crime immediately after the accident was also uncovered. Four employees, including the head of the production management team, were found to have illegally removed hard drives from the fire scene and subsequently forged or altered 15 safety-related documents, including risk assessment forms, in an attempt to shield the CEO and the corporation from punishment.
A police official said, "Through a rigorous investigation into disasters that directly affect the safety and lives of citizens, we will ensure that those responsible receive the corresponding legal punishment."

[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter