Jeonnam Fire Department Urges Caution to Prevent Wood-Burning Boiler Fires in Winter

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Jeonnam Fire Headquarters (Chief Ma Jaeyoon) has urged caution to prevent fires as the use of wood-fired boilers has increased due to the recent sharp drop in temperature.

According to the Jeonnam Fire Headquarters on the 17th, a total of 119 heating device-related fires occurred in the province during the winter seasons (November to February) over the past three years (2017?2019).

Among these, 73 cases involved wood-fired boilers, 21 cases involved electric and gas stoves, 19 cases involved electric heating pads, and 6 cases involved others, with fires caused by wood-fired boilers accounting for the highest proportion at 61.3%.

Regarding the causes of wood-fired boiler fires, negligence accounted for 58 cases (79.4%), mechanical factors for 14 cases (19.1%), and unknown causes for 1 case (1.4%). Among the negligence factors, placing combustible materials nearby occurred in 32 cases, and leaving embers, flames, or fire sources unattended occurred in 17 cases.

Wood-fired boilers are widely used mainly in rural farming and fishing areas to save heating costs, and their usage frequency is expected to continue increasing for economic reasons. Storing a large amount of firewood around the boiler while using it can cause sparks that have not been extinguished to fly and lead to fires.

To prevent wood-fired boiler fires, as advised by Jeonnam Fire Headquarters, users should ▲ keep fuel such as wood at least 2 meters away from the boiler ▲ use designated fuels and avoid adding large amounts at once ▲ close the fuel inlet after adding fuel ▲ keep a fire extinguisher near the boiler ▲ avoid placing combustible materials near the chimney ▲ clean the chimney once every three months.

Meanwhile, a fire caused by a wood-fired boiler occurred at a house in Sapyeong-myeon, Hwasun-gun the previous day, resulting in property damage worth 47,604,000 KRW.

It is presumed that embers from the wood-fired boiler ignited a pile of firewood, causing the fire.

Fire Chief Ma Jaeyoon said, “When using a wood-fired boiler, do not store combustible materials such as wood near the boiler, and perform regular inspections and cleaning,” adding, “Please keep a fire extinguisher nearby to prepare for fires.”

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