Christmas fire in Seoul apartment could be due to ‘negligence’: Police
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SEOUL - A fire in an apartment building in Dobong-gu, northern Seoul, which left two dead and 30 injured
A police official on site said the fire was unlikely due to electrical factors, after a joint on-site investigation.
“It seems unlikely that the fire was caused by a short circuit or malfunctioning electrical equipment. Based on the evidence that has been obtained, it is highly likely that the fire was human-caused,” said the police official.
A total of 21 personnel from the local police department, local fire department and Korea Electrical Safety Corporation were involved in a joint forensic investigation into the cause of the fire.
The investigators focused on a room in a third-floor apartment that is believed to have been the ignition point and the details behind the accident.
The police stated that it is difficult to comment on specific details behind what caused the fire, such as conclusive evidence that the police found or statements made by those involved. However, all other factors that could have contributed to the fire have been ruled out.
According to the police, there were no abnormalities found in the fire alarms installed in the apartment building at the time of the incident. However, the police stated that it is likely the fire spread quickly, as the fire-resistant doors on all floors were left open.
Another factor that investigators believe likely caused the fire to spread quickly was that the apartment was built using pilotis – support-like pillars or columns that lift a building above the ground. Large-scale fires frequently occur in piloti-type buildings, as insulation materials in the ceiling are ignited and air can easily come in from outside.
It was additionally found that sprinklers were installed only from the 16th floor and above, which is believed to have also contributed to the damage. Currently, the law requires sprinklers to be installed on all floors of apartment buildings that have more than six floors.
Meanwhile, according to the fire authorities, officials were notified about the fire occurring on the third floor of the 23-storey apartment building at 4.57am local time (3.57am Singapore time) on Dec 25. Local fire department officials mobilised 60 vehicles and 312 personnel and fully contained the fire at 8.40am, around four hours after the initial report was made.
The fatalities were two men in their 30s, while three of those sent to the hospital are believed to be in critical condition.
One of the men died after jumping from the fourth floor of the building while carrying his child, in a desperate attempt to flee. The other was a 38-year-old individual identified by the surname Lim, a resident of the 10th floor who was discovered in full cardiac arrest on the stairs of the 11th floor. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
