Governor Kim Dong-yeon Visits Hwaseong Factory Fire Scene, Urges "Mobilize All Available Resources for Swift Fire Suppression"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Governor Kim Dong-yeon of Gyeonggi Province visited the scene of a fire at a primary battery manufacturing facility in Seosin-myeon, Hwaseong on the 24th, urging the mobilization of all available resources to swiftly suppress the fire.

Upon receiving news of the fire, Governor Kim immediately departed for the scene and arrived at the fire site at approximately 12:35 p.m., observing the suppression efforts and making these remarks.

The governor stated, "Mobilize all available resources to suppress the fire swiftly and minimize the generation of hazardous gases," and emphasized, "Do your best in rescuing lives as well as ensure the safety of firefighters working at the scene."

Governor Kim also directed Gyeonggi Province to prepare for accident recovery and follow-up management.

The governor first established a joint on-site command post with Hwaseong City and directed the construction of a comprehensive support system among relevant agencies including fire, police, medical, and local government authorities. He also urged maximum efforts in follow-up support, including medical treatment for the injured transported to hospitals and provision of funeral expenses for the deceased.

Additionally, he directed the prevention of chemical substances and firefighting water from flowing into nearby rivers to prevent secondary damage from chemical leaks. For local residents, controlled access to dangerous areas surrounding the fire scene was implemented, and residents were directed to be informed of the fire situation and evacuation procedures to prevent further damage.

For accident recovery, the province directed the establishment of a restoration plan for the affected area following fire suppression and the development of measures to prevent recurrence through damage surveys.

According to Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Management Headquarters, the fire broke out at the factory at approximately 10:31 a.m. on the 24th. The headquarters escalated to Response Level 1 immediately upon the fire's outbreak and to Response Level 2 at 10:54 a.m.

Fire emergency response levels are the stages of response implemented by fire departments when emergencies exceeding simple fires occur. Response Level 1 (Regional Alert 1) is the stage where all personnel and equipment from the jurisdiction's fire department are mobilized, while Response Level 2 (Regional Alert 2) is an alert requiring personnel and equipment from five to six fire departments including the jurisdiction's fire department and adjacent fire departments.

Approximately 180 firefighters and 60 pieces of equipment have been mobilized to the scene for fire suppression efforts. As of 2 p.m., there have been 4 casualties (1 dead, 1 seriously injured, 2 minor injuries).