Jang Jaesung, Gwangju City Council Member, "Rental Housing Without Sprinklers Is a Fire Blind Spot"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Jang Jae-seong, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party, Seo-gu 1), pointed out on the 10th during the administrative audit of the Gwangju Urban Corporation, "There are no sprinklers in the rental housing managed by the Gwangju Urban Corporation, leaving them in a fire blind spot."

According to the 'Rental Housing Sprinkler Installation Status' data submitted by the Gwangju Urban Corporation, sprinklers have been installed in only 3,376 units, which is 40.21% of the total 8,396 rental housing units.

Sprinklers have been mandated only for apartments of 16 floors or higher according to the Fire Services Act revised in 1992, and the standards were strengthened in 2005 with the enforcement of the Fire Facilities Act Enforcement Decree to require sprinklers throughout apartment buildings of 11 floors or higher.

Additionally, since 2018, sprinklers must be installed on all floors when constructing apartments of 6 floors or higher.

Councilman Jang Jae-seong pointed out, "There are many old rental apartments built before the sprinkler mandate, making initial response to fires relatively difficult."

He added, "Rental housing is mainly occupied by people with disabilities, basic livelihood security recipients, or elderly living alone, many of whom use electric blankets to save on heating costs, making them vulnerable to fire," and "Considering the sprinkler installation status of multi-family housing in the region, there is an analysis that a large-scale disaster like the one at Gukil Goshiwon two years ago could sufficiently occur in Gwangju Metropolitan City as well."

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