Electric Mats Rank Second as Cause of Seasonal Appliance Fires in Multi-Family Housing... What's Number One?

Fires occurring in apartment complexes and other multi-family housing units in Gyeonggi Province were found to be most frequent during the summer, with air conditioners identified as the leading cause.

The Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters analyzed 3,621 fire incidents in multi-family housing across the province over the past three years and reported these findings. With the peak summer season approaching, the agency urged residents to conduct preemptive inspections of air conditioners.

According to the investigation, fires in apartments, multiplex housing, and dormitories accounted for 55% of all residential facility fires, and the number of such incidents has been increasing each year.

Of all multi-family housing fires, 68% (2,454 cases) were caused by electrical appliances, including kitchen appliances (808 cases), seasonal appliances (579 cases), and wiring devices (278 cases).

Among the 579 fires caused by seasonal appliances, air conditioners accounted for 192 cases, representing 33.2%?the highest proportion. This was followed by electric mats and blankets with 121 cases (20.9%), and heating wires with 80 cases (13.8%).

Apartment Fire

The main causes of multi-family housing fires were identified as carelessness (44%, 1,609 cases) and electrical factors (37%, 1,337 cases). By season, fires occurred most frequently in summer (28%, 1,020 cases), followed by winter (26%, 948 cases), autumn (23%, 832 cases), and spring (22%, 821 cases).

Regarding casualties by time of day, fires occurring during the early morning hours resulted in 24 deaths per 1,000 incidents, which is two to three times higher than at other times of day.

Based on this analysis, the provincial fire and disaster headquarters plans to implement a range of measures, including intensive inspections of homes without fire safety equipment, expanded safety education for multi-family housing managers, and initial response drills to strengthen fire response capabilities during early morning hours.

Kim Jaebyung, head of the provincial fire and disaster headquarters, stated, "The more familiar an electrical appliance is, such as air conditioners or gas stoves, the greater the risk posed by complacency. I urge all residents to take preventive action in daily life, such as inspecting outdoor units, to help prevent fires before the summer season begins in earnest."