Seven Dead or Injured in Apartment Fire Tragedy
Seriousness of Inter-floor Noise Issue Highlighted
One person was killed and six others were injured in an apartment fire in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. It has been found that the primary arson suspect, a man in his 60s, had ongoing conflicts with his neighbors over noise between floors. As a result, calls for urgent institutional measures to address the issue of inter-floor noise are growing.
According to police on the 21st, the fire broke out around 8:17 a.m. on the fourth floor of a 21-story apartment building in Bongcheon-dong, resulting in one death and six injuries. Police have identified a man in his 60s, referred to as Mr. A, who died at the scene, as the prime arson suspect.
On the 21st, a fire broke out at an apartment in Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, with residents watching the scene. Photo by Yonhap News
Mr. A lived on the third floor of the apartment where the fire occurred and had reportedly experienced conflicts with the upstairs neighbor over inter-floor noise until the end of last year. In September of last year, a physical altercation broke out between Mr. A and the upstairs resident, prompting a police response, but no criminal charges were filed.
Police suspect that Mr. A poured oil into a pesticide sprayer found at the scene and set the apartment on fire. A suicide note was discovered at Mr. A’s residence, reportedly containing a message asking his daughter to take care of her mother.
This incident has once again highlighted the seriousness of inter-floor noise issues. According to the Korea Environment Corporation, the number of consultations made by phone or online to the 'Inter-floor Noise Neighbor Center' last year was 33,027. This represents a 29.1% decrease compared to the record high of 46,596 cases in 2021, but a 275% increase compared to 8,796 cases in 2012, when the center first opened. In addition, after the initial phone or online consultation, the number of cases that proceeded to additional consultations or on-site inspections last year was only 5,224 and 1,888, respectively.
The low threshold for inter-floor noise standards, which makes it difficult to prove actual damage, is also cited as a problem. In fact, out of 3,609 cases where the Neighbor Center measured noise levels between 2014 and last year, only 416 cases (11.5%) were recognized as exceeding the legal standard. The remaining 88.5% (3,193 cases) were measured within the standard.
Given these circumstances, there are increasing calls for urgent institutional reforms. The Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) submitted a legislative petition to the National Assembly on the 17th, calling for the enactment of the “Inter-floor Noise Management Act for Multi-family Housing.” The proposed law would require mandatory on-site noise measurements for all newly constructed multi-family residences and oblige developers to notify residents of the results.
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