The National Fire Agency announced on the 22nd that it has established a 'Central Fire Joint Investigation Team' to identify the cause of the fire at the Kumho Tire factory in Gwangju and analyze the extent of the damage.
The investigation team consists of 16 experts from 8 organizations, including the National Fire Agency, the National Fire Research Institute, the Disaster Safety Research Institute, the Korea Electrotechnology Inspection Agency, and the Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters. It will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause of ignition, damage path, and structural vulnerabilities through on-site inspections and scientific analysis for about a month until the 20th of next month.
In particular, the National Fire Research Institute will oversee a reproduction experiment on specific equipment deemed to have a potential for initial ignition to scientifically verify its flammability. Additionally, the team will examine the following: analysis of electrical and mechanical operating conditions at the time of the fire, identification of combustion spread paths and extent of physical damage, review of flammability and management negligence, and evaluation of the adequacy of the initial response system.
The investigation team also plans to analyze secondary damage, including human and material losses as well as the potential for harmful substance leakage, and will prepare a report to be used for future institutional improvements and countermeasures.