Residential Facilities Have the Most Fires... Fridays and 3-5 PM Are the Most Vulnerable Times

More than half of the causes are due to negligence
Old devices should be replaced and the use of octopus-style power strips should be avoided

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] In Seoul, the most fires last year occurred in residential facilities, with a concentration on Fridays, the start of the weekend, and between 3 PM and 5 PM, when work fatigue is at its highest during the day.

The Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters analyzed fire damage statistics from 2019 and announced the results on the 6th.

According to the data, residential facilities accounted for the highest number of fires with 2,422 cases (41.2%). This was followed by restaurants with 608 cases (10.3%), vehicles with 388 cases (6.6%), and office facilities with 383 cases (6.5%). Among residential facilities, apartment complexes accounted for 1,409 cases (24%) and single-family homes for 983 cases (16.7%).

By cause, negligence was the leading factor with 3,504 cases, followed by electrical causes with 1,315 cases (22.4%), mechanical causes with 281 cases (4.8%), and arson with 135 cases (2.3%). The main causes of negligence included cigarette butts with 1,329 cases (37.9%), cooking with 1,238 cases (35.3%), unattended heating devices with 264 cases (7.5%), and others with 673 cases (19.2%). To prevent electrical fires, it is advised to replace old electrical devices and avoid using multi-plug outlets.

By day of the week, Friday recorded the highest number of fires with 886 cases, while Saturday had the lowest with 780 cases. During the day, the most vulnerable time for fires was analyzed to be between 3 PM and 5 PM, whereas the least was between 5 AM and 7 AM. A representative from the Fire and Disaster Headquarters explained, "3 PM is the time when work fatigue peaks during the day, leading to decreased concentration and simultaneously more lax handling of fire-related equipment, which is presumed to cause the higher incidence of fires."

Last year, there were a total of 398 casualties from fires, including 37 deaths and 361 injuries. Among the casualties, 183 people (46%) occurred in residential facilities, and among the 37 deaths, 23 (62.2%) occurred most frequently in residential facilities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.