A fire at a paint factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, left seven people injured on the 16th, including a firefighter who went into cardiac arrest. Two firefighters were taken to hospital in critical condition, and Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae canceled her scheduled engagements to visit the scene.
The fire broke out at about 8:38 a.m. on the third floor of a four-story metal parts paint factory in Nae-dong, Ojeong-gu, Bucheon, according to the Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters. Firefighters responded after a factory official reported the blaze.
Five firefighters and two factory workers were injured. Two firefighters who entered the building to fight the fire in its early stages inhaled smoke and were taken to hospital in critical condition. One of them went into cardiac arrest. Three other firefighters suffered minor injuries including heat exhaustion, and two factory workers are also receiving treatment.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at 8:57 a.m., taking into account that the factory handles flammable liquids classified as Class 4 hazardous materials. As the flames spread, they raised the alert to Level 2 at 9:09 a.m. and deployed 80 personnel and 38 pieces of equipment. The alert was lowered to Level 1 at 10:08 a.m., and the fire was fully extinguished at about 11 a.m.
Choo canceled official engagements that day, including a meeting of the Governors Association of Korea and the opening ceremony of the 107th National Sports Festival, and arrived at the scene at about 11:20 a.m. "Their sacrificial courage prevented greater damage, but I want to express my sympathy and gratitude to the two firefighters who are in critical condition for their courage and sacrifice, and it is deeply regrettable," Choo said. "I hope they recover quickly, and the province will spare no effort in supporting their treatment and recovery."
The visit came three days after Choo drew criticism for comparing the fire service budget to a "fiscal straw." Asked about fire service spending at a parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 13th, Choo said the fire service "seems like the biggest headache, a fiscal straw." The remark came as she was explaining that local governments still bear substantial costs, including personnel and project expenses, even though firefighters have been reclassified as national civil servants.
Firefighters' unions affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions demanded a formal apology, saying the expression disparaged firefighters' dedication. Gyeonggi Province said the comment was not intended to demean firefighters but to point out that the financial burden remains concentrated on local governments even after the shift to national civil service status.
Fire authorities are examining the possibility that the blaze started during metal printing work and plan to investigate the exact cause and extent of the damage.