On the 17th, the fire suppression rate at the Kumho Tire factory in Gwangju, which occurred in the morning, surpassed 70% as of 8:50 p.m.
That day, Kim Kwan-ho, the chief of the Gwangju Gwangsan Fire Station, said at a press briefing, “We expected the entire second factory of the Gwangju facility to be completely destroyed, but only 60% has burned, and we have the main fire under control.” He added, “We are extinguishing the fire by burning the rubber inside the factory.”
Earlier that day, around 7:11 a.m., multiple reports were received at the Gwangju Fire Headquarters 119 Situation Room about a fire at the Kumho Tire factory in Gwangju. The fire authorities issued a national fire mobilization order at 10 a.m., a measure to enable the deployment of fire personnel and equipment nationwide.
The fire is believed to have been caused by sparks from an industrial oven device used to preheat raw rubber. However, the specific cause of the fire will be revealed after the fire authorities have completely extinguished the blaze.
As a result of the fire, production at the Gwangju factory has been completely halted.