"Please Get Out Quickly"...Flames Erupt as Driver Exits, Civilian Military Employee Averts Major Disaster

Swift scene control and initial response by two gas station employees

On the 7th, when a vehicle fire broke out at the gas station at the Hoengseong Service Area (toward Gangneung) on the Yeongdong Expressway, Lee Sangwoo, a professional military career officer at the Army Student Military School, extinguished the fire with the gas station's fire extinguisher. Hoengseong Fire Station

A swift response by a citizen who carefully watched smoke rising from a vehicle entering a rest area gas station prevented a situation that could have escalated into a major fire.

According to Hoengseong Fire Station in Gangwon Province and Yonhap News on the 15th, at around 8:34 a.m. on the 7th, at the gas station at the Hoengseong Service Area (toward Gangneung) on the Yeongdong Expressway, Lee Sangwoo, a professional military career officer at the Army Student Military School, witnessed smoke rising from the hood of a vehicle entering the gas station behind him.

On the 7th, when a vehicle fire broke out at the gas station at Hoengseong Service Area (Gangneung-bound) on the Yeongdong Expressway, Lee Sangwoo, a professional military career officer at the Army Cadet Military School, is extinguishing it with the service area’s fire extinguisher. Hoengseong Fire Station

He immediately informed the driver of the situation and had him get out of the vehicle. At the same time, he asked nearby people to call the emergency number 119 and requested that they block other vehicles from entering the gas station, quickly taking control of the scene.

After confirming that there were no passengers remaining in the vehicle, he ran straight to the gas station office and grabbed a fire extinguisher. Immediately after the driver got out, the vehicle was engulfed in flames, and Instructor Lee sprayed the burning vehicle with the extinguisher, preventing the fire from spreading further. Gas station employees Park Jaeyoung and Lim Giik also actively contributed to the initial response by shutting off the electricity and fuel supplied to the pumps.

On the 7th, when a vehicle fire broke out at the gas station at the Hoengseong Service Area (toward Gangneung) on the Yeongdong Expressway, Lee Sangwoo, a civilian military career officer at the Army Student Military School, was extinguishing it with the service station's fire extinguisher. Hoengseong Fire Station

Thanks to their calm and swift response, the flames were brought under control in the early stages. The situation was fully resolved after the fire authorities arrived at the scene. It was a hair-raising incident that could have led to large-scale casualties and property damage if many vehicles had been waiting to refuel or entering the station.

In particular, during his military service, Instructor Lee completed disaster preparedness training and on-site fire command courses, among other safety and fire-response programs. These experiences enabled his calm initial response that day. He has also been highly regarded within his unit for leading by example, receiving a commendation as an outstanding summer instructor in July 2025 and a commendation for his contribution to the school development task force. After leaving active duty, he has been working at the Army Student Military School as a military science instructor, teaching squad and platoon tactics and focusing on training junior officers.

Hoengseong Fire Station recognized the contributions of instructor Lee Sangwoo and two gas station employees and awarded the Fire Station Chief's Commendation on the 12th. Hoengseong Fire Station

Hoengseong Fire Station recognized the contributions of Instructor Lee and the two gas station employees and awarded them the Fire Station Chief's Commendation on the 12th. Hoengseong Fire Station Chief Lee Gwangsun said, "I am deeply grateful for the courage and civic-mindedness of the three individuals who calmly took initial action in a dangerous situation," adding, "This case once again demonstrates the importance of early use of fire extinguishers, and going forward, the active safety awareness of county residents will be a powerful force in preventing major disasters."