Seven people were injured, including a firefighter who went into cardiac arrest, in a fire at a paint-coating factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae, who drew criticism for likening fire service spending to a "fiscal straw," canceled her schedule and visited the scene after learning of the accident. The firefighters' union called for a thorough investigation into whether excessive orders were given during the firefighting operation and renewed its demand for an apology from Choo.
According to the Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters, the fire broke out at about 8:38 a.m. on the 16th on the third floor of a four-story metal parts coating factory in Nae-dong, Ojeong-gu, Bucheon.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at 8:57 a.m., taking into account that the factory handled flammable liquids classified as Class 4 hazardous materials. As the flames spread, the response was raised to Level 2 at 9:09 a.m., with 80 personnel and 38 pieces of equipment deployed. The response was lowered back to Level 1 at 10:08 a.m., and the fire was fully extinguished at around 11 a.m.
A total of seven people were injured during the firefighting operation, including five firefighters and two factory workers. Two firefighters who entered the building suffered serious injuries from smoke inhalation, and one of them went into cardiac arrest. Three other firefighters sustained minor injuries from heat exhaustion and other causes, and two factory workers are also receiving treatment for injuries.
The factory where the fire broke out was preliminarily found to have stored about 100 20-liter containers of Class 2 petroleum products, a flammable liquid. There was also concern that the flames could spread to a vehicle fueling facility at a ready-mix concrete plant behind the building, but no additional damage occurred.
Choo canceled her official schedule and visited the fire site after learning of the accident. After checking on the condition of the injured, she said, "I hope they recover quickly, and we will spare no effort in supporting their treatment and recovery."
The governor's visit came three days after her remark comparing fire service spending to a "fiscal straw" sparked controversy. At a parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 13th, Choo explained that local governments continue to bear substantial costs, including personnel and program expenses, even after firefighters were converted to national civil servant status. She then said fire services "seem like the biggest and most troublesome fiscal straw." The remark drew a backlash that it damaged the honor of firefighters.
The fire service division of the Korean Government Employees' Union, which had earlier demanded a formal apology from Choo, issued an emergency statement the same day calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the accident. "There must be a thorough investigation into whether there were excessive orders to enter the building and whether the governor's remarks influenced on-site command," the union said, demanding that the facts be established and those responsible be held accountable.