[Breaking] One Employee Hospitalized After Kumho Tire Fire

Fire Breaks Out During Preheating of Tire Raw Rubber, Says Fire Department

A fire broke out at Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant, and the fire department is currently working to extinguish it. Photo by Reader Provided

The fire that broke out at the Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant on May 17 is suspected to have been caused by a spark inside a device used to preheat rubber, which is a raw material for tires.

According to the fire department, the fire is believed to have started in an electric oven within the mixing process where raw rubber and chemicals, the basic materials for tires, are combined.

Witnesses reported that an unexplained spark occurred in the device, igniting nearby flammable materials and starting the fire.

Some employees attempted to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers, but the flames reportedly spread rapidly.

One employee was temporarily trapped inside the building but was rescued, and some employees evacuated to the rooftop and were later transported to the hospital after being rescued.

The fire department escalated its response from Level 1, issued at 7:28 a.m., to Level 2 at 7:59 a.m., and is continuing firefighting efforts.