Seoul Fire Department Compensates 47 Damage Claims from Firefighting Activities Worth 81 Million Won

Destruction of Entrance Doors for Rescue, Vehicle Damage from Firefighting Activities Included
12 Cases of Civilian Use of Heavy Equipment to Assist Firefighting Also Compensated

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 15th that it completed compensation for a total of 47 cases involving citizens who suffered damages during disaster and accident response efforts last year.

According to the Fire and Disaster Headquarters, there were 99 reported damage cases last year, including vehicle or front door damage caused by firefighting activities. Among these, 47 cases were compensated after review in accordance with the "Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Compensation for Firefighting Activity Losses," totaling approximately 81 million KRW.

The Fire and Disaster Headquarters established this ordinance in 2019 to guarantee active firefighting efforts and compensate for damages caused during such activities. Accordingly, a Loss Compensation Review Committee was formed to compensate damages incurred during lawful firefighting activities when citizens file compensation claims.

Among the compensation decisions made last year, the most frequent case was the destruction of front doors for life rescue during fire suppression, accounting for 15 cases, followed by 13 cases of vehicle damage caused by firefighting activities and 4 cases of door lock damage.

Additionally, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters also compensates citizens or companies who cooperated to reduce damage at disaster and accident sites. Compensation is based on the "Ordinance on the Utilization and Support of Private Resources at Disaster Sites," and last year, support was provided for a total of 12 cases amounting to approximately 8.4 million KRW. Major support cases include private sector provision of heavy equipment at disaster and accident sites or assistance in firefighting activities using personal property such as fire extinguishers.

Meanwhile, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters actively intervenes from the initial stage and provides legal support for traffic accidents involving fire trucks during emergency dispatches, allowing firefighters to focus on their primary duties at the scene. Last year, legal support, including lawyer appointments, was provided for a total of 43 cases related to traffic violations such as signal violations or crossing the center line caused by fire vehicles during emergency dispatches.

Choi Tae-young, head of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, “In disaster sites where every second counts, swift firefighting activities are essential,” and added, “We will actively promote firefighting services to enhance citizen safety while minimizing citizen damages.”

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