Surge in Summer Fires Amid Intense Heat... 598 Cases in One Week

Mainly Occurs Concentratedly from June to August
Air Conditioner Safety Inspection 'Essential'

Recently, as the heatwave intensifies, fires related to cooling devices have been occurring one after another. There are calls for safety inspections and management to prevent fires during the summer season.

According to the Fire Agency on the 2nd, 598 fires occurred nationwide over the course of a week from the 24th to the 30th of last month. On the 20th of last month, a fire broke out while repairing an air conditioner outdoor unit on the 10th floor of the Hyundai I'Park apartment in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Additionally, on the 10th of last month, a fire occurred in the outdoor unit of a high-rise apartment in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, causing about 20 residents to evacuate in a commotion.

Every summer, as the operation of cooling devices begins, the number of fire incidents shows a sharp increase. From 2019 to 2023, a total of 1,803 fire incidents involving air conditioners, fans, and other cooling devices have occurred. Analyzing the number of fires by month, they mainly occurred intensively between June and August. The main causes of cooling device fires include electrical factors such as poor wire contact, mechanical factors such as overheating and overload, and negligence. In the case of air conditioner fires, electrical factors like poor contact accounted for 78%, while fan fires accounted for 65%.

To prevent fires caused by air conditioners and fans, care should be taken to ensure that power cords are not pressed under heavy objects or bent. Also, when taking out stored fans for use, dust accumulated inside should be removed before use, and it is important to check whether the motor's air vents are blocked. For air conditioners and outdoor units, check if wires are stripped or damaged, and since power cords tend to overheat, it is necessary to use high-capacity outlets whenever possible. Outdoor units can catch fire due to dust accumulation causing overheating, so dust should be removed before operation. Additionally, inspection of fire suppression equipment such as sprinklers and fire extinguishers is required.

Professor Lee Yong-jae of the Fire Safety Management Department at Kyungmin University emphasized, “When there is poor contact in cooling devices, heat is generated causing sparks that often lead to fires. It is necessary to have inspections at least once a year.” He added, “If the outdoor unit overheats, dust sitting on top can easily catch fire, so frequent cleaning is important, as well as removing flammable objects near the device.”