Gyeongbuk Fire Headquarters Urges Prevention of Chili Dryer Fires... Avoid Prolonged Use and Frequently Inspect Dryers

A Total of 132 Chili Dryer Fires Occurred in the Past 10 Years, Most Frequent in August

Red Pepper Dryer Fire.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gwi-yeol] The Gyeongbuk Provincial Fire Headquarters has urged caution as fires in chili pepper dryers have been occurring one after another with the start of the peak chili pepper harvest season.

On the evening of the 2nd at around 8:17 PM, a fire broke out in a chili pepper dryer at a farmhouse in Gyeongsan, causing part of the warehouse and the chili pepper dryer to be completely burned.

Also, on the 23rd of last month, a fire occurred while using a household chili pepper dryer in Gumi.

Over the past 10 years, a total of 132 chili pepper dryer fires have occurred in the region, with the highest number occurring in August.

The chili pepper dryer fires caused damage to about 20 tons of harvested crops, with total property damage exceeding 1 billion KRW.

Chili pepper dryers are divided into electric and fuel types, and their boiler operation principle exposes them to constant fire risk.

The main cause of chili pepper dryer fires is mostly sparks igniting from the power outlet due to overheating and overload caused by prolonged use.

To prevent fires, it is necessary to remove flammable materials, foreign substances, and dust around the dryer before operation, use products with rated current capacity and proper specifications, avoid leaving the dryer unattended while operating, request regular inspections from the product company for old dryers, and cut off power when operation is finished.

Lee Young-pal, head of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Fire Headquarters, urged, “August to September is the peak chili pepper harvest season, so farmers operating chili pepper dryers should understand the causes of fires and strictly follow fire prevention safety rules.”

Farmers operating chili pepper dryers can apply to the nearest fire station to receive fire risk inspections and safety guideline information.

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