Gyeonggi Fire Department Detects Fire Hydrant and Emergency Broadcast Equipment Shutdown in Apartment Complexes

Fire Safety Management Planning and Inspection

The Gyeonggi Province Fire Department has repeatedly uncovered aging apartment complexes in the Gyeonggi area that have neglected fire safety management by disabling fire alarm receiver emergency broadcast equipment, rendering fire safety facilities practically useless, or failing to appoint fire safety managers.

The Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 12th that during the first quarter of this year (January to March), they conducted a planned crackdown on fire safety management, including blocking and disabling fire safety facilities, targeting 694 aging apartment complexes in the Gyeonggi area that were completed over 20 years ago. They detected 165 violations at 115 poorly managed sites.

Under the current Fire Safety Facilities Installation and Management Act, violations such as blocking or disabling fire safety facilities are punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million KRW. Additionally, according to the Fire Prevention and Safety Management Act, fire safety managers must be appointed within 30 days and regular self-inspections of fire safety facilities must be conducted. Violations of these requirements can result in fines of up to 3 million KRW.

The Fire and Disaster Headquarters also plans to impose fines on apartments that have damaged emergency exit fire doors or failed to prepare fire safety plans.

Jo Sun-ho, head of the Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters, emphasized, "Disabling or blocking fire safety equipment must never be done," adding, "One should understand that a careless attitude of 'It won't happen to me' can lead to large-scale fires."

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