Fires involving pets in Gyeonggi Province mostly occur while the owner is either out or asleep.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on January 15 that, based on its analysis of fires caused by pets, a significant number of these incidents began when pets triggered household appliances while their owners were away or asleep.
According to the headquarters' investigation of 133 pet-related fires over the past three years, 117 cases (88%) were caused by contact with cooking appliances such as induction cooktops, electric hobs, and gas ranges. This was followed by electrical wire damage (6 cases), overturned candles (4 cases), other factors such as cigarettes (3 cases), and seasonal heating devices like heaters and hair dryers (2 cases).
The most common time for fires to occur was between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., when owners are frequently out, accounting for 55 cases or 41.4% of the total. Additionally, 39 cases (29.3%) occurred during sleeping hours, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In response, the Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters has urged households with pets to conduct safety checks before leaving the house or going to bed. First, it is important to turn off cooking appliances before going out and to install covers over power switches to prevent pets from coming into contact with them.
Additionally, the headquarters advises shutting off the middle valve of the gas range and keeping candles, heaters, hair dryers, and electrical cords out of pets' reach.
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