More Than Half of January House Fires Caused by 'Carelessness'... Caution Needed When Using Electric Mats and Heating Devices

39% of Fires Caused by Neglecting Embers or Combustibles... 27% Occur During Food Cooking

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Amid continuing cold weather due to heavy snow and cold waves, the government has urged special caution to prevent residential fires caused by indoor heating device use.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 7th, a total of 57,950 fires occurred in homes over five years from 2015 to 2019, resulting in 920 deaths and 4,153 injuries.

January, in particular, is the month with the greatest damage from residential fires, accounting for 10.5% (6,093 cases) of all fires and 14.8% (750 people) of casualties. Fires in detached houses, including multi-family and commercial-residential buildings, accounted for 59.2% (3,605 cases), which was higher than the 36.7% (2,236 cases) in apartments or other multi-unit housing, resulting in greater damage.

Looking at the causes of fires, negligence accounted for the largest share at 54.2% (3,300 cases), followed by electrical causes such as short circuits and poor wire contact at 21.7% (1,322 cases), and mechanical causes such as overheating and aging at 8.6% (526 cases).

Among fires caused by negligence, those caused by leaving fire sources (embers or flames) unattended (24.2%, 798 cases) or placing combustible materials nearby (14.4%, 476 cases) accounted for 38.6%. Cooking-related fires accounted for 27.0% (892 cases), and fires caused by cigarette butts accounted for 15.7% (519 cases).

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety urged that when using electric or gas heaters or electric blankets in homes, people should not leave them on unattended, and should be especially careful not to place flammable paper or clothing near heating devices. Also, when cooking with fire in the kitchen, never leave the stove unattended, and if a fire breaks out while cooking with oil, first turn off the gas valve or power, and never pour water on the fire.

Kim Jong-han, Director of the Prevention and Safety Policy Division at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, "Every year, precious lives are lost due to fires in homes, but they can be sufficiently prevented with just a little caution." He urged, "Detached houses, which tend to be less attentive to fire safety compared to apartments, should definitely install residential fire alarms (standalone fire detectors) and gas detectors, and thoroughly inspect both inside and outside the house."