Incheon Electric Vehicle Explosion Accident
Resident Expresses Gratitude to Firefighters and Others
Amid an incident where an electric vehicle exploded in an underground parking lot of an apartment in Incheon, a post by an affected apartment resident expressing gratitude to firefighters, police officers, and public officials has become a hot topic.
On the morning of the 1st, a fire presumed to have started from an electric vehicle in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Cheongna, Seo-gu, Incheon, occurred, and a firefighter who was involved in extinguishing the fire is struggling (left). / Marks left by firefighters hitting doors with crowbars to warn residents of the fire risk (right). [Image source=Yonhap News, captured from Naver Blog 'The Life of the Electric Wire Man You Know']
Choi Woo-won, a writer who runs a blog under the nickname 'Electric Wire Man,' posted an article titled "About Gratitude After the Fire Has Passed" on the 2nd. Choi said, "The electric vehicle fire in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Cheongna, Incheon, happened right in our apartment," and began by offering condolences to the neighbors who suffered the most damage.
On the morning of the 1st, a fire presumed to have started from an electric vehicle occurred in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Cheongna, Seo-gu, Incheon, and firefighters are entering the underground parking lot. Photo by Yonhap News
The previous day at around 6:15 a.m., a fire broke out in a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle on the first basement floor of an apartment in Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon. The fire was extinguished by 8:20 a.m., but a power outage occurred, cutting off electricity supply to about 480 households in 5 of the 14 apartment buildings, affecting a total of 1,581 households.
Choi detailed the situation at the time of the fire. He said, "When the fire alarm went off, I came out of my home on the first floor, and as I stepped outside the front door, I smelled a pungent odor coming from the basement. When I went down to the parking lot, it was filled with smoke. I approached to see what was happening, but the security guard advised me to return home as he had already called 119 (fire department)."
Several fire trucks arrived at the apartment complex, and it was expected that the fire would be quickly controlled, but the situation escalated rapidly. Choi said, "There was a loud knocking on the door. Two firefighters came and said, 'There is a fire in the underground parking lot, and it is dangerous, so please prepare quickly.' I ran up to the second floor via the stairs. Seeing them running around wearing oxygen tanks and thick protective clothing to alert us about the fire made me feel very grateful."
Traces of firefighters knocking on doors with crowbars to warn residents of fire hazards. Photo by Naver Blog 'Dangshini Aneun Jeonseon Ingan-ui Life' capture
Choi also expressed deep gratitude and remorse upon seeing the marks left by a pry bar on his front door. These marks were made by firefighters knocking on doors with a metal lever to warn residents of the fire risk. He wrote, "Looking at the gouged marks, I thought about how sincerely these people knocked on our door. They did it with all their heart for someone they had never even met, and that made me feel deeply thankful."
Choi also extended words of comfort to the residents who suffered significant damage from the fire. Although the fire was fully extinguished, electricity and water supply were cut off, and residents continue to experience inconvenience due to the lingering smoky smell and dust throughout their homes. He said, "Even as I write this, the apartment is still without water, and we have yet to confirm the damage to our vehicle parked in the underground parking lot. The scars left by the fire will cause more inconvenience and property damage, but everything will return to normal."
Furthermore, he expressed gratitude, saying, "I am thankful to the firefighters who stayed until dawn to prevent any remaining fire risks, the officers from the Incheon Western Police Station who worked hard to control residents, the staff from Seo-gu Office who distributed water for drinking, the apartment residents' committee members who consulted with residents until dawn, and the residents of our building who, despite suffering less damage, showed concern for our first-floor unit’s damage rather than their own."
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