"Anxious at the 'Pung' Sound... Parking Lot Fire Engulfs 666 Cars Including Benz, 'Negligence in Management Duties'"

Gas Leak Due to Careless Handling of LPG Cylinder for Car Washing

A car from a car wash company burning during the fire / Photo by Internet Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Regarding the so-called 'car wash vehicle explosion' accident that occurred last August in Cheonan, Chungnam, the police are planning to send the car wash company executives and employees to the prosecution. At the time, about 600 vehicles, including expensive foreign cars, were damaged in the accident.

On the 26th, the Cheonan Seobuk Police Station decided to refer two people related to the mobile car wash company to the prosecution on charges of professional negligence causing an explosive object to explode.

An employee A of this company is suspected of handling a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder for steam car washing carelessly, causing LPG to leak.

The accident occurred on the afternoon of August 11 in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Cheonan. According to the police investigation, the mobile car wash vehicle inside the parking lot exploded and spread into a fire.

On August 11th at around 11:09 PM, a fire broke out in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Buldang-dong, Cheonan-si, Chungnam, causing dozens of residents to evacuate outside the apartment. / Photo by Yonhap News

In the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the underground parking lot released on online communities, the car wash vehicle explodes with a 'bang' and is quickly engulfed in flames. A was seen anxiously moving around near the burning vehicle.

During the police investigation, A stated, "The fire occurred while I was lighting a cigarette."

A, the car wash company employee who owned the vehicle that exploded in the fire, was seriously injured and received treatment at a hospital. Additionally, 14 residents inhaled smoke and were transported to nearby hospitals.

A car from a car wash business burning during the fire / Photo by Internet Community Capture

According to estimates by the fire authorities, the damage to vehicles caused by the fire amounts to 1 billion KRW, and the property damage amounts to 900 million KRW. The damaged vehicles were counted as 666 in total, including 16 completely burned, 12 half-burned, 16 partially burned, and 622 with soot damage. Among them, about 100 imported cars, including expensive Mercedes-Benz vehicles, were confirmed.