Oh Se-hoon: "Minimize Similar Cases of 'Banghak-dong Apartment Fire'"... Seoul City Prepares Measures Including Support for Fire Door Installation (Comprehensive)

Mayor Oh Visits Aging Apartment Sites in Nowon-gu
Directly Inspects Operation of Fire and Fire Prevention Facilities

Targets Aging Apartments Built Before Fire and Evacuation Regulations
Government Recommends Using Long-Term Repair Funds for Evacuation Facility Installation
Mandatory Evacuation Facility Inspection Results

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced on the 8th regarding the apartment fire incident in Banghak-dong, Dobong-gu that occurred last month, stating, “We will review and improve the safety-related facilities and systems of aging apartments to minimize similar cases.” The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided to support the expansion of evacuation facilities such as fire doors and emergency escape devices and to mandate management inspection reports to prevent fires in aging apartments.

On the same day, Mayor Oh visited an apartment in Nowon-gu to directly inspect the management status of fire and fire prevention facilities. Assuming a fire situation, he checked whether the fire detectors and alarms were functioning properly and confirmed the installation status of fire doors and emergency escape devices. This apartment was completed in October 2002, before the introduction of fire and evacuation regulations, and is not subject to sprinkler or emergency escape device installation, making its conditions similar to those of the apartment involved in the recent Banghak-dong fire incident. He also received a report on the ‘Measures for Fire Prevention and Reduction of Casualties in Multi-family Housing’ from Han Byung-yong, Director of Seoul Housing Policy Office, and the Fire and Disaster Headquarters Chief.

Mayor Oh said, “To ensure residents can evacuate without inconvenience during a fire, it is necessary to supplement evacuation facilities such as proper operation of fire door opening and closing and installation of emergency escape devices,” adding, “The city will actively propose amendments to related laws to the government.” He continued, “Even if evacuation facilities are perfect, residents must be able to evacuate quickly to reduce casualties,” and urged, “Although inconvenience is expected, please actively participate in the fire evacuation drill scheduled for the 10th.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In this regard, the city plans to establish the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Measures for Fire Prevention and Damage Mitigation in Aging Apartments.’ The plan aims to strengthen safety management standards for aging apartments built before the introduction of fire and evacuation regulations and actively promote fire prevention.

First, the city will actively support the improvement and expansion of evacuation safety facilities such as fire doors, emergency escape devices, and automatic opening and closing devices in aging apartments. It plans to propose to the government to revise related standards so that long-term repair reserves can be used when installing fire doors that automatically close upon detecting smoke during a fire, rooftop door automatic opening and closing devices, and evacuation safety facilities.

The management system for evacuation facilities will be improved, and supervision will be strengthened. The management entity of multi-family housing must directly inspect the maintenance status of evacuation facilities such as whether fire doors open and close properly every quarter and report the results mandatorily to the relevant district office.

Additionally, for multi-family housing, the city plans to propose to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to delete the exception rule that excludes buildings with 16 or more floors and floor areas less than 400㎡ from the requirement to install special evacuation stairs. Building reviews will also be strengthened to prevent unreasonable floor plans that require fire doors to be left open during use.

Starting this month, fire evacuation education, publicity, and fire drills targeting citizens and apartment managers will be intensified. The 10th has been designated as ‘Apartment Unit Inspection Day,’ during which all apartments in Seoul will conduct a voluntary evacuation drill simulating a fire situation and a 10-minute self-inspection of fire facilities starting at 7 p.m.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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