Daejeon Reports 44 Fires During Chuseok Holidays Over the Past 5 Years

Residential Facilities and Carelessness Are the Main Causes

Photo by Daejeon City Provided

Over the past five years, a total of 44 fires have occurred in the Daejeon area during the Chuseok holiday period, resulting in one fatality and five injuries. The main causes of these fires were carelessness (45.5%) and electrical factors (27.3%).

Property damage amounted to approximately 160 million won, with residential facilities accounting for the highest proportion of fires at 43.2% by location.

The Daejeon Fire Department has urged citizens to strictly follow fire prevention guidelines during the Chuseok holiday, which continues until October 9, 2025.

During the holiday period, activities such as visiting ancestral graves, clearing weeds, preparing holiday food, and traveling to and from hometowns increase the use of fire. The movement of people and vehicles also becomes more active, which raises the risk of fires caused by carelessness.

Photo by Daejeon City Provided

In particular, special caution is required in residential areas left unattended for extended periods, traditional markets and terminals crowded with people, and forest-adjacent areas where many people visit ancestral graves.

The Fire Department emphasized several key safety rules for citizens to follow during the holiday: refraining from using open flames and not discarding cigarette butts in forest-adjacent areas during grave visits or clearing weeds; not leaving cooking unattended when preparing holiday food; thoroughly shutting off electricity and gas and securing doors before leaving for hometown visits; checking the location of emergency exits and avoiding illegal parking when using traditional markets or multi-use facilities; and ensuring that fire extinguishers and home fire alarms are functioning properly at home.

Cho Wongwang, head of the Response Investigation Division at the Fire Department, stated, "A small act of carelessness can lead to a major fire," and urged, "We hope all citizens will observe basic fire prevention rules to ensure a safe and happy holiday."