Fire Agency installs 'Kani Sprinklers' in 97% of old Goshiwon and postpartum care centers... Support project ends

"Average Annual Fire Deaths in Gosiwon Decreased from 3 to 0.75 Before and After Project"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The National Fire Agency announced on the 18th that the 'Support Project for Installation of Simple Sprinklers in Lodging-Type Multi-Use Facilities,' which targeted old gosiwon and postpartum care centers mainly used by vulnerable residential groups and disaster victims, has ended with a 97.3% installation rate.

According to the National Fire Agency, since the launch of the simple sprinkler installation support project in August 2019, out of a total of 1,513 target locations, 1,472 (97.3%) have completed installation, and 41 (2.7%) remain uninstalled, marking the end of the project. Of the national budget of 8.42 billion KRW, 6.45 billion KRW (76.6%) was spent. Among the remaining uninstalled targets, some are currently undergoing installation, so the completion rate is expected to rise slightly.

Since the project began in 2019, its effectiveness has been confirmed by preventing casualties in multiple gosiwon fires. From 2016 to 2018, before the project, the average annual number of deaths caused by gosiwon fires was three, but from 2019 to June this year, after the project started, the average annual death toll dropped significantly to 0.75.

In particular, the fire that occurred on July 20 last year at a gosiwon in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, was caused by a cigarette butt discarded by a resident that ignited trash and other materials. Had the initial fire suppression failed, it could have led to a large-scale casualty incident. However, the simple sprinkler system installed through the project activated early, preventing the fire from spreading and averting casualties.

The National Fire Agency is continuously implementing measures such as revising related laws to strengthen safety management of gosiwon. Recently, comprehensive measures have been promoted to prevent fires nationwide in gosiwon, including ▲nationwide special fire inspections of gosiwon, fire risk assessments, and sample surveys of simple sprinkler heads ▲improving safety education systems to enhance fire facility inspection and management capabilities of multi-use business owners ▲amending laws related to multi-use facilities and establishing safety systems.

Hwang Gi-seok, Director of the Fire Prevention Bureau at the National Fire Agency, said, “When fires occur in old gosiwon mainly used by vulnerable residential groups and disaster victims, there is a high possibility of large-scale casualties. Even after the support project ends, we will continue inspections, investigations, and fire safety consulting to ensure there are no gaps in public safety.”

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