CEO Arrested and Billions Lost from Industrial Fires... Prevention with 'AI Unmanned Firefighting' Systems

As a series of fire disasters have occurred recently, there is growing public demand to strengthen disaster response capabilities.

Regarding the fire disaster at a factory in Daejeon on March 21, President Lee Jaemyung stated that the causes and circumstances would be thoroughly investigated and that fundamental measures would be put in place to prevent a recurrence. Previously, he had called for preventive measures against wildfires during a cabinet meeting.

The industrial sector is also actively working to develop countermeasures. This is because fires at industrial sites are not simply limited to property damage, but under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, the CEO can be subject to arrest.

In connection with the 2024 battery factory fire, which resulted in the deaths of 23 workers, the CEO and the head of the headquarters at Aricell were sentenced to 15 years in prison at the first trial and were taken into custody in court. In addition, in last year's hotel fire in Busan, which caused the deaths of six workers, six people, including the CEO of the construction company Samjung Enterprise, were arrested. Such incidents are having a significant impact on the sustainability of businesses.

Massive property damage is also involved. Following last year’s Kumho Tire fire, regional economic experts projected losses of around 450 billion won and the loss of more than 2,000 jobs.

With regard to the recent Daejeon fire, industry voices are pointing out that if a fire prevention system had been preemptively installed at hazardous materials handling sites, the damage might not have escalated to such an extreme degree. There is also a growing opinion that while firefighting activities have traditionally relied on the sacrifice and dedication of firefighters, it is time to shift to a system in which advanced technology takes on the risks first and protects personnel.

Against this backdrop, unmanned firefighting systems developed by domestic companies such as Hyundai Motor Group and MGen Solution are gaining attention as new response options. As the government discusses supplementing its response system, there is rising interest in the potential for adoption and market expansion. Companies are also increasing their investments in workplace safety related to serious accidents, in line with government policy direction.

Hyundai Motor Group’s unmanned firefighting robot is based on HR-Sherpa, a multipurpose unmanned vehicle developed by its affiliate Hyundai Rotem. Its water resistance and insulation performance have been enhanced so it can be deployed at wildfires or large-scale fire sites. The robot can minimize human casualties while entering high-risk areas and is capable of remotely spraying firefighting water to provide an initial response.

Accordingly, Hyundai Motor Group and the National Fire Agency expect firefighter casualties to be significantly reduced. Over the past 10 years, 1,802 firefighters have been killed or injured. The company stated, "We believe that a company that makes cars and machines should do everything it can for the firefighters who are struggling on the front lines," and plans to expand supply to fire stations nationwide, starting with the donation of four units.

MGen Solution’s artificial intelligence (AI) unmanned fire detection and suppression system, AlphaShot, enables initial response within 30 seconds of fire detection through 24/7 monitoring and control. The product features infrared detection, data analysis, and automatic fire suppressant discharge. Its thermal imaging camera and 360-degree rotational detection technology allow for coverage without blind spots, and in the event of a fire, it identifies the ignition point, issues an alert, and automatically discharges suppressant. Immediate notifications are sent to both administrators and local fire stations, facilitating rapid response. The system was recently selected as an innovative prototype by the Public Procurement Service. Accordingly, the company plans to continue expanding its AI-based integrated disaster and security management business, covering both the public sector and all areas of the private sector.

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