Clothes Hung on Sprinkler Breaks Thermal Element
Hotel Demands Guest Pay 30 Million Won in Damages
Dispute Over Compensation Leads to Legal Action
A guest at a hotel in China hung clothes on a sprinkler, causing flooding on two floors. On October 21, Yonhap News TV, citing local media such as CCTV and Huanqiu.com, reported that on October 1 at a hotel in southern Zhejiang Province, a guest used a hanger to hang clothes on a sprinkler. Due to the weight, the heat-sensitive element inside the sprinkler was damaged, releasing approximately 10 tons of water and flooding both the guest’s floor and the floor below.
A guest at a hotel in China hung clothes on a sprinkler, causing flooding on two floors. CCTV footage captured the incident.
Video footage of the incident shows water pouring into the room as a woman enters with an umbrella. A man, believed to be a hotel employee, is seen using a dustpan to scoop out the water. Subsequently, the hotel demanded that the guest who damaged the sprinkler pay 160,000 yuan (approximately 32 million won) in compensation. As the guest refused, claiming the amount was excessive, both parties reportedly entered legal proceedings.
A similar incident occurred last July. At that time, a guest at a hotel in Guizhou Province hung clothes on the sprinkler, causing water to pour out and soak the furniture, mattress, and walls. CCTV
A similar incident occurred last July. At that time, a guest at a hotel in Guizhou Province hung clothes on a sprinkler, causing water to pour out and soak the furniture, mattress, and walls. Ultimately, the guest compensated the hotel 2,000 yuan (about 400,000 won). As similar accidents continued to occur, local fire authorities warned, "The heat-sensitive element of a sprinkler is vulnerable to external impact," and advised, "For temporary convenience, do not hang clothes or objects on sprinklers while staying at a hotel."
The reason water is released simply by hanging clothes is because automatic sprinkler systems are designed with very high sensitivity to detect and suppress fires at an early stage. The sprinkler activation mechanism includes both heat-activated and impact-activated systems. If the ambient temperature exceeds the specified threshold, the glass bulb in the sprinkler head breaks, spraying water to extinguish the fire. Additionally, if the sprinkler head is pulled, pressed, struck, or has a heavy object hung on it, the glass bulb can break and trigger the water release system.
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