On April 29 this year a big fire broke out at the construction site of a logistics warehouse in Incheon, so 60 firefighters and 27 fire engines were mobilized to extinguish the fire. The fire caused toxic gas to spread throughout the building, causing massive casualties that prevented workers trapped inside from evacuating. It left 38 people dead. In addition, frequent unexpected fire accidents such as forest fires in Goseong County, Gangwon-do and apartment fires in Ulsan have occurred recently.

In the event of a fire, the economic damage of restoration is great, but more caution should be taken because it causes casualties. These fires are mainly caused by people's carelessness, or an electrical factor, cigarette fire, arson, or traffic accident. In order to prevent frequent fire accidents, it is necessary to know the cause of the fire and prevent it.

In fact, fire-related school programs are being implemented for students living in dormitories to prevent fires. There is regular training once a year to prepare for fires at night. The training details include the proper method of using fire extinguishers, spraying fire extinguishers, evacuation drills for night fires, and sprinkling fire trucks. It is also important to participate in these on-campus programs and know how to evacuate the fire.

<Interviewer> L.L.F reporter, Su-Bin Song

<Interviewee> A firefighter in the Changwon Fire Department

Q1. What do you think is the main cause of fires these days?

A1. There are unexpected fires such as spontaneous combustion and electric short circuit, but about 80 percent of fires are caused by carelessness of people. Fire due to carelessness are frequent during the handling of fire such as incineration of garbage, heating of food, and candlelight.

Q2. What do you think are the evacuation tips that students should know and the best ways to prevent fire in a school?

A2. When I was a student, I remember that the class proceeded even when the emergency bell rang. Once the emergency bell rings, students should think about taking shelter in a hurry, suspecting that a real fire broke out. Students should use passageways and stairs which are common use during evacuations. The way to prevent fire is to pay attention when handling fire.

Q3. Lastly, what would you like to say about fire as a firefighter to students?

A3. Please refrain from reporting to the fire department for simple hospital transfers. Non-emergency situations may delay the time for emergency patients in need of serious help.

Instructions on how to evacuate in case of fire: ① Quickly yell out the fact that there is a fire nearby to let others know. ② Use stairs or emergency exits, rather than elevators, protect your respiratory system with handkerchiefs or clothes and lower your posture to move quickly. ③ Once you have evacuated to a safe place, report the fire to 119. ④ Use fire extinguishers and hydrants to help with the initial effort of extinguishing the fire.

I think that it is important to keep safe by knowing the fire prevention rules and evacuation guidelines for unexpected fire accidents. Always be careful of your carelessness and keep safe from fire.

L.L.F reporter Su-Bin Song