Relatives of Victims in Bucheon Hotel Fire Say "Investigation Results Do Not Reveal the Truth"

"Problems in Fire Department Rescue Operations"

Relatives of the seven guests who died in the hotel fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province last August have expressed dissatisfaction with the police investigation results and are calling for a thorough inquiry.

The hotel in Bucheon where a fire occurred last August
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Bucheon Fire Disaster Bereaved Families Association stated in a press release on the 8th, "The police announced the investigation results claiming that only the hotel owner, operators, and staff are responsible, and that there were no issues with the fire department's rescue operations," adding, "We cannot contain our devastation."

The bereaved families' group argued, "The victims reported the fire to 119 immediately upon confirming it and waited, clinging to windows in extreme fear before jumping after seeing the air mattress," asserting, "The state was absent during this process." They further added, "The fire department and local governments failed to detect during routine fire facility inspections that door closers (automatic closing devices) were not installed, that temporary evacuation slides were not provided in the rooms, and that emergency exit fire doors were left open during operation."

The families' group pointed out, "Despite recognizing the fire in a high-rise building, the delayed deployment of the aerial ladder truck led to deaths before the ladder was extended, and the improper installation of the air mattress caused fatal falls. Isn't this problematic?"

On the same day, the Bucheon Hotel Fire Accident Investigation Headquarters under the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency applied for pre-trial detention warrants for four individuals, including the building owner Mr. A (66), on charges such as professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

The bereaved families' group stated, "The police investigation results alone cannot resolve the doubts," and demanded, "The state, local governments, fire department, and police, who are responsible for the lives and health of the people, must reveal the deficiencies exposed during the disaster response process."