In Urgent Moments, Nurses and Caregivers Control Initial Fire Suppression and Evacuate Patients...

Director Lee Hangyeong of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is taking a commemorative photo with five award-winning nurses and caregivers on the afternoon of the 5th at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Sejong Complex.
[Photo by Ministry of the Interior and Safety]

On February 17th, a fire broke out at Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital. The fire occurred in a medical facility, which was used as a ward from the 4th to the 10th floors, and at the time of the fire, a total of 404 patients were admitted. At 7:08 a.m., the fire that started in room 36 on the 10th floor (respiratory ward) ignited from an outlet inside the room, causing smoke to rise rapidly and burning part of the room, which could have led to significant damage. The staff on duty assessed the initial scene, including the fire location, spread pattern, patient condition, and smoke, then attempted initial fire suppression using fire extinguishers to prevent internal spread. Simultaneously, they shut off the oxygen gas valve to prevent a large-scale accident involving an explosion. Additionally, to prepare for any possible damage, they evacuated 191 hospitalized patients, including 66 people on the 10th floor, and thanks to their swift response, there were no casualties.

Two days earlier, on February 15th, a fire broke out at Hana Silver Care Nursing Home. The building housed restaurants, academies, and gyms on floors 1 to 5; the nursing home on floors 6, 7, and 9; and temples and manufacturing facilities on floors 8, 10, and 11. At the time of the fire, a total of 48 patients were admitted to the nursing home. At 1:26 a.m. on the 15th, a fire started in room 606 on the 6th floor of the nursing home, originating from electrical equipment embedded in the wall near the window, burning part of a patient bed inside the room, which could have led to significant damage.

The night staff at the time moved the elderly patients' beds that were exposed to the flames without protection and attempted initial fire suppression using fire extinguishers to prevent internal spread. Seventeen elderly patients admitted on the 6th floor were all severely disabled and unable to evacuate on their own, but with the help of firefighters, they were safely evacuated outside the building. Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital and Hana Silver Care Nursing Home were able to prevent casualties through excellent initial response in actual situations based on thorough fire drills conducted regularly.

Lee Hangyeong, Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is holding a meeting to listen to difficulties and discuss with five award-winning nurses and caregivers on the afternoon of the 5th at his office in the Central Building of the Government Sejong Complex.
[Photo by Ministry of the Interior and Safety]

On the 5th, Lee Han-kyung, Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, awarded commendations from the Minister of the Interior and Safety to nurses Kim Su-hyun, Ahn Hyun-mi, Wang Ji-hye, nursing assistants Mo Suk-jung, and Seong Yeon-hwa from Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital (located in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi) and Hana Silver Care Nursing Home (located in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon) at the Government Sejong Complex. Furthermore, the fire response cases from both locations were designated as exemplary cases to be shared and disseminated nationwide. Director Lee said, "Despite the fire occurring in a situation where patients had difficulty moving and were in great danger, I deeply thank the awardees for their response that prevented any casualties," adding, "The government will actively share and disseminate these excellent fire response cases to minimize casualties in fire incidents and will make every effort to prepare for and respond to fires in vulnerable facilities such as nursing homes."