Fire Claims Two Firefighters: Arrest Warrant Sought for Contractor Who Ordered Torch Work and Left Scene

Ordered Epoxy Removal Without Safety Personnel... A Culture of Disregarding Safety
Conflicting Testimonies With Worker Suggest Attempt to Evade Responsibility
Additional Charge of Immigration Law Violation... Prosecutors Request Arrest Warrant

In connection with the Wando frozen warehouse fire incident in South Jeolla Province, which resulted in the deaths of two firefighters in the line of duty, the CEO of the construction company who ordered unauthorized foreign workers to perform hot work and then left the scene himself is now facing possible arrest.

On April 23, the Wando Police Station in South Jeolla Province announced that prosecutors had requested an arrest warrant for Kim, the CEO of the construction company, on charges including occupational negligence resulting in fire, violation of immigration laws, and aiding and abetting a suspect.

Regarding the Wando Frozen Warehouse Fire Incident, the prosecution has requested an arrest warrant for Kim, the CEO of the construction company. Photo by Lee Jung-kyung

Kim is suspected of broadly disregarding on-site safety regulations on the day of the fire and of forcing a Chinese worker in his 30s, who was residing illegally in Korea, to carry out hot work involving highly flammable materials.

According to the police investigation, Kim directly ordered the use of a torch to remove epoxy from the floor. Notably, despite the extremely high risk of fire, the site was found to be a "safety lawless zone," with no safety manager assigned as required by law.

Furthermore, Kim assigned such a dangerous task to a worker who was not only undocumented but also unable to communicate effectively, while he himself left the scene, exposing a glaring disregard for overall safety.

The main reason the police are seeking an arrest warrant for Kim is due to concerns about the destruction of evidence and risk of flight. Testimonies from the Chinese worker, who was previously arrested and transferred to prosecutors for causing the fire, and from Kim, the construction company CEO, have significantly contradicted each other.

Given the seriousness of the incident, police believe there is a strong possibility that Kim may attempt to coordinate statements with the worker or destroy evidence to evade responsibility. Additionally, new findings have revealed that the construction company habitually hired and managed undocumented workers for cost-cutting purposes, leading to an additional charge of violating immigration laws against Kim.

A police official stated, "A total lack of safety awareness, as demonstrated by failing to assign a safety manager and ordering dangerous work to unqualified individuals, ultimately resulted in a major tragedy that claimed the lives of two firefighters who were protecting the public. As soon as the arrest warrant is issued, we will conduct a thorough supplementary investigation to rigorously determine the root cause of the fire and identify those responsible without leaving any questions unanswered."

A pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) for Kim is scheduled for April 27 at 3:00 p.m.

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