Thanks to quick citizen reports, fortunately no major accidents occurred
A large fire could have easily started from cigarette butts
A large fire nearly broke out due to a carelessly discarded cigarette butt. On the 4th, an online community called TheQ posted an article titled "Reported 119 because a fire broke out in the sewer due to a cigarette butt." The post included a message left by a social media user the previous day. The writer said, "Do not throw away cigarette butts. There is a fire burning in the sewer. I stopped going to eat ramen, reported 119, and am waiting," along with a photo.
A large fire nearly broke out due to a carelessly discarded cigarette butt. On the 4th, a post titled "Reported 119 because a fire broke out in the sewer due to a cigarette butt" was uploaded on the online community Theqoo. [Photo source=online community 'Theqoo']
The photo shared by the writer showed bright red flames rising from below the sewer grate. It was a situation that could have easily escalated into a large fire, making viewers feel uneasy.
Netizens responded with comments such as "Smokers really need to properly dispose of cigarette butts," "Wow, throwing them into the sewer is really careless," and "If there is a lot of methane in the sewer pipe, it can explode." One netizen shared, "I had a similar experience before. I saw smoke rising from the ground and found a fire. I told the owner of a nearby store, poured water urgently, and someone else went to get a fire extinguisher. It took quite a while to put out."
Two People Die in Russia Due to Cigarette Butt in Sewer
Earlier in early April, a man who threw a cigarette butt into a sewer died on the spot due to an explosion. The accident occurred in the Republic of Dagestan, southern Russia. CCTV footage reported by Hong Kong media HK01 showed two men getting out of a car and smoking. Then one man threw a cigarette butt into the sewer. Unexpectedly, a strong explosion occurred at that moment. The explosion shook the CCTV camera, and broken stones and vehicle debris were scattered everywhere.
Earlier in early April, a man who threw a cigarette butt into a drain died on the spot due to an explosion. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Photo by Pixabay]
Investigators believe that when one of the men threw the cigarette butt into the sewer, acetylene gas ignited, causing a large explosion. Flammable gases such as acetylene inside sewers generally have a wide explosion range and fast flame propagation speed. Therefore, accidents can cause significant casualties and property damage, so caution is necessary. Meanwhile, under the current Waste Management Act, if caught illegally dumping trash, a fine of up to 1 million won can be imposed. Thus, discarding cigarette butts or tissues and other carried trash results in a fine of 50,000 won.
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