Gyeonggi Fire Department: 6 out of 10 Wood-Burning Boiler Fires Caused by 'Negligence'

Fire Scene of a Wood-Burning Boiler

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] It has been revealed that 6 out of 10 wood-fired boiler fires that occurred in Gyeonggi Province over the past three years were caused by negligence.

According to the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters on the 3rd, the number of wood-fired boiler fires in the Gyeonggi area was 60 in 2019, 66 in 2020, and 36 in 2021, totaling 162 cases over the past three years. Analyzing the causes of ignition, 102 out of 162 cases were due to negligence, accounting for 63% of the total. This was followed by mechanical causes with 55 cases (34%), electrical causes with 2 cases, and others with 3 cases.

Among the negligence causes, the most frequent was leaving combustible materials nearby with 42 cases. This was followed by leaving fire hazards (objects or elements that pose a risk of fire) with 38 cases, others with 12 cases, careless use or installation with 9 cases, and handling of petroleum products with 1 case.

Among the 55 mechanical causes, overheating and overload were the most common with 40 cases. Aging and poor maintenance each recorded 4 cases.

Accordingly, the Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters plans to actively inform residents to reduce fires caused by wood-fired boilers by advising them ▲ not to store firewood or flammable materials near the boiler ▲ to place fire extinguishers near the boiler room and open the inlet door while standing to the side ▲ to have installation done by professional companies and receive regular inspections at least once a year.

A representative of the Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters said, "Wood-fired boilers are mainly increasing in rural and farming areas where firewood is easy to obtain and due to the effect of saving heating costs," adding, "Wood-fired boiler fires require users’ special attention."

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