Operation Suspended After Safety Inspection Failure on the 5th
At Least 2 Months Needed to Resume Service
Complex with Many Elderly Residents...Concerns Over Emergency Situations
An elevator in a 15-story apartment complex in Incheon has reportedly been out of service. The elevator stopped operating for more than 10 days after failing a detailed safety inspection, raising concerns as summer approaches and the majority of the apartment residents are elderly.
On the 17th, 'Yonhap News' reported that all 24 elevators in an apartment complex with 608 households in Jung-gu, Incheon, have been completely out of service for over 10 days. The elevators were halted on the 5th due to failing a detailed safety inspection.
It is reported that many elderly residents live in the apartment complex. Because of this, firefighters have had to carry patients up and down the stairs without using the elevators, increasing concerns about emergency response capabilities. However, even if efforts are made to resume elevator operations as soon as possible, it is expected to be no earlier than mid-August.
On the morning of the 13th, a resident in their 70s was moving via stairs due to elevator service suspension at an apartment in Hangdong 7-ga, Jung-gu, Incheon. [Image source=Yonhap News]
According to the current Elevator Safety Management Act, elevators that fail safety inspections must undergo corrective measures and pass a re-inspection before they can be operated again. Violating this regulation can result in imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.
Because of this, the apartment management office is considering ways to respond to emergencies. They have considered temporarily operating the elevators in case of emergency patients, but since this would be illegal, the actual implementation remains under consideration.
The political sector is also seeking solutions. Bae Jun-young, the local district member of the National Assembly, is in contact with related agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to find a resolution, but the government is reportedly maintaining a negative stance on temporarily operating elevators that have failed safety inspections.
Especially this year, hundreds of elevators nationwide have failed safety inspections. The government’s position is that it cannot temporarily allow exceptions for specific apartment complexes by ignoring the law.
Yonhap News also pointed out that the apartment residents' representative committee was granted permission to use the elevators in 2021 on the condition of installing safety devices, and in January of this year, they were also required to install safety parts within four months, but none of these measures were implemented.
Meanwhile, Incheon City, the Korea Elevator Safety Agency, and others have demanded prompt action from the elevator installation company and parts suppliers related to the apartment. However, it is expected to take about two months at the earliest to complete the processes of material procurement, parts installation, and re-inspection.
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