Cutting-Edge Firefighting Equipment Prevented Secondary Major Damage in Yeosu Industrial Complex Fire

Published 14 Dec.2021 15:29(KST)

Firefighting Drones, High-Performance Chemical Vehicles, and Other Cutting-Edge Equipment Fully Mobilized for Rapid Response

Cutting-Edge Firefighting Equipment Prevented Secondary Major Damage in Yeosu Industrial Complex Fire

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek] It has been revealed that the use of cutting-edge equipment such as unmanned water tower trucks and firefighting drones, along with a three-dimensional firefighting operation, prevented secondary large-scale damage at the petrochemical manufacturing plant fire that occurred on the 13th in the Jeonnam Yeosu National Industrial Complex.

Jeonnam Fire Department immediately issued a Level 2 response and swiftly deployed 68 pieces of equipment, including high-performance chemical vehicles from nearby city and provincial fire headquarters, the Central 119 Chemical Special Rescue Team, and the Yeosu Industrial Complex’s own fire brigade, along with 506 personnel. They mobilized nationwide firefighting forces and private firefighting resources to extinguish the fire.

The firefighters dispatched to the scene deployed firefighting drones to visually monitor the wide fire area and the direction of the flames, which were difficult to confirm with the naked eye, focusing on preventing the spread of fire to nearby hazardous material tanks, thereby conducting efficient response activities.

Additionally, advanced equipment such as CAFS (Compressed Air Foam System) fire trucks, which mix water and foam extinguishing agents with high-pressure air and have seven times the firefighting capability of regular fire trucks, unmanned water tower trucks, and firefighting helicopters were quickly deployed to the fire scene.

The major fire was brought under control around 16:43, about three hours after the fire broke out. The Level 2 response was lifted at 17:05, and while conducting mop-up operations, the previously issued alarm was fully lifted at 17:11.

Ma Jae-yoon, head of the Jeonnam Fire Headquarters, stated, “With the nationalization of firefighting services, we were able to concentrate cutting-edge equipment such as high-performance chemical vehicles and firefighting drones nationwide for a proactive response. Among the total 73 hazardous material storage tanks, the tops of 4 tanks exploded and 6 tanks burned, resulting in damage to 10 tanks in total, but rapid response minimized the damage.”