"Curious If Hand Sanitizer Would Catch Fire"... Teen Sets Apartment Elevator Ablaze
by Choi Young
Published 12 May.2026 09:47(KST)
Soot Damage in Elevator Causes 279,000 Won in Losses
A teenage male was apprehended by police in Gwangju after setting fire to hand sanitizer and causing a fire in an apartment elevator.
The Gwangju Nambu Police Station announced on May 12 that they had booked a minor, referred to as "A," on charges of arson in an inhabited building.
He is accused of igniting the hand sanitizer placed inside the elevator of an apartment complex in Imam-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, with a lighter at approximately 11:18 p.m. the previous day.
According to the investigation, "A" committed the act out of curiosity to see if the alcohol-based hand sanitizer would catch fire.
The police found that "A" exited the elevator and returned home without realizing that the hand sanitizer had caught fire.
After "A" left the elevator, a resident who saw smoke coming from inside promptly extinguished the fire, preventing any injuries.
At the time, fire authorities also received a report that there was a fire in the apartment elevator.
The fire caused soot damage to the interior of the elevator, resulting in approximately 279,000 won in damages. Police identified "A" as the suspect through CCTV footage and other evidence.
The police plan to further investigate "A" to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.