Gyeonggi Fire Department to Conduct On-Site Inspections of Ten High-Rise Large-Scale Buildings

The Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters will conduct on-site joint inspections of ten high-rise, large-scale buildings in the province.

On April 20, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced that from April 21 to June 30, it will carry out joint on-site inspections with both public and private sector participation at ten high-rise, large-scale buildings in the province where construction progress has reached at least 70%.

For this investigation, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters will form a team that includes external experts to check the installation status of fire safety facilities and to verify whether the design and construction are consistent. The focus of the investigation will be on enhancing the effectiveness of the performance-based design system and ensuring fire safety during both construction and design phases.

High-Rise Apartment Fire Drill

Performance-based design is a method that ensures fire safety according to a building's structure and intended use. Since introducing this approach in 2009, Gyeonggi Province has conducted the largest number of reviews nationwide. However, there have been criticisms that, in some cases, the results of these designs are not adequately reflected in the field.

Based on the results of this inspection, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters will require improvements for any deficiencies found and plans to enhance related systems and manuals.

Kim Jaebyung, head of the Fire and Disaster Headquarters, stated, "Performance-based design is a key factor in ensuring the safety of high-rise buildings," adding, "Through joint public-private investigations, we will work to secure fire safety from the design and construction stages, thereby protecting the lives of residents from large-scale fires."