On the morning of the 17th, a fire broke out at Kumho Tire's Gwangju factory in Songjeong-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, sending thick black smoke into the sky. Photo by Yonhap News
No hazardous chemicals have yet been detected in the air around Kumho Tire's Gwangju factory in Gwangsan-gu, where a large fire broke out.
According to environmental authorities on the 17th, both the Yeongsan River Basin Environmental Office and the relevant local government measured the air quality around the fire site multiple times, but no hazardous chemicals were detected.
However, trace amounts of carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected. Measurements were conducted more than three times from 7:11 a.m., when the fire started, until 2:00 p.m. A mobile air quality monitoring vehicle has been deployed near the fire site and is planned to operate for at least one month.
Contaminated water used in firefighting operations has also been generated at the scene. However, a preliminary check of the water quality in nearby streams and rivers found no significant issues.
Authorities have installed oil fences and other barriers around the drainage gates, as the Kumho Tire Gwangju factory is located near the confluence of the Yeongsan River and Hwangryong River. In addition, stormwater pipelines within the factory have been blocked.
Meanwhile, fire authorities issued a Level 1 response as soon as the fire broke out at 7:11 a.m. They escalated it to Level 2 at 7:59 a.m., and as of 10:00 a.m., the response was raised to the National Fire Mobilization Order.
The fire is spreading inside the densely packed factory buildings, and as of noon, 70% of the western section of the factory?an area equivalent to five soccer fields?had burned.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
