Fire Agency Strengthens Safety Management for Goshiwon Fires... Implements Safety Measures for Lodging-Type Multi-Use Facilities

Gani SP Installation Retroactive Application Target Goshiwon Must Complete Installation by June

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The National Fire Agency announced on the 2nd that it will implement measures to strengthen fire safety management in gosiwon.

Gosiwon are lodging-type multi-use facilities that provide affordable accommodation and meals, and have become housing facilities for vulnerable groups. Due to their structural characteristics, if a fire breaks out in an individually partitioned room in a gosiwon, it is difficult for residents in other rooms to quickly recognize the fire, and the evacuation routes are narrow and complex, making it hard to escape quickly, which raises concerns about potential casualties.

According to an analysis of statistics from the National Fire Information Center of the National Fire Agency, over the past five years, there have been a total of 9 deaths caused by fires in gosiwon, accounting for more than half (53%) of all fire-related deaths (17) in multi-use facilities. In the past five years, there have been a total of 243 gosiwon fires, with causes including negligence in 143 cases (58.8%) and electrical factors in 55 cases (22.6%).

In response, the National Fire Agency held a video conference on the 27th of last month with fire prevention chiefs from fire headquarters nationwide, following a gosiwon fire incident in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul on April 11, and decided to promote measures to strengthen fire safety management for gosiwon. The main measures include △ special inspections of aging fire facilities (sample inspections) △ fire risk assessments for gosiwon subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act △ practical restructuring of fire safety education for business owners and employees △ guidance and encouragement for the installation support project of simple sprinkler systems in lodging-type multi-use facilities.

So far, the National Fire Agency has been continuously working on legal revisions and system improvements following the Gukil Gosiwon fire on November 9, 2018 (7 deaths, 11 injuries). Since 2019, it has been promoting a retroactive installation support project for simple sprinklers in lodging-type multi-use facilities, and there have been cases where the simple sprinkler systems installed in gosiwon successfully extinguished fires at an early stage.

Hwang Gi-seok, Director of Fire Prevention, stated, “To prevent fires occurring in gosiwon, not only system improvements but also voluntary inspections and safety measures by business owners and employees are important,” and urged, “Those involved should take responsibility and conduct thorough quarterly regular inspections.”

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