Factory fire in Bucheon likely caused by oil vapor ignited by frictional heat: officials

A devastating fire at a factory in Bucheon, South Korea, left one firefighter dead and seven others injured, officials revealed on Saturday. The blaze, which erupted at the four-story metalworking facility on Friday, was likely ignited by oil vapor catching fire during a routine metal cleaning operation. Firefighters battled the inferno for over two and a half hours before finally bringing it under control.

One firefighter entered cardiac arrest during the firefighting efforts and succumbed to his injuries after being treated at a nearby hospital. Seven other personnel suffered injuries, with one sustaining serious harm. A combined team of firefighters, police officers, the National Forensic Service, and the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation launched an on-site investigation on Saturday to pinpoint the cause of the blaze.

The examination uncovered that workers had been utilizing paint thinner to clean metal components at the time of the incident. Authorities believe that the vapors released from the thinner may have been ignited by a spark caused by static electricity, an electrical discharge, or frictional heat. The work area within the factory reportedly lacked essential safety equipment, such as explosion-prevention facilities, according to the officials.

The joint inspection team also discovered approximately a dozen containers of thinner, some of them partially open, situated just 1 to 2 meters away from the suspected ignition point. Moreover, hundreds of paint cans stored at the site are thought to have played a significant role in the rapid propagation of the fire. The team intends to request an in-depth analysis of the residual cleaning solvent recovered from the site to the National Forensic Service.