Short circuit suspected

By Park Si-soo

A short circuit is suspected of having caused a fire that engulfed 33 floors of a 38-story apartment complex in the southeastern port city of Busan in less than 30 minutes Friday, police said Sunday.

Investigators from the National Institute of Scientific Investigation will conduct an inspection today. The fire was extinguished after two and a half hours, leaving five people, including one firefighter, injured.

Roh Sang-hwan, chief investigator at Haeundae Police Station in Busan, said flames were witnessed in a lounge on the fourth floor by a cleaner immediately after a bang behind an electric fan in the lounge, which quickly engulfed it.

“We secured testimony that the room had been vulnerable to fire because of a twisted web of electricity cords on the floor,” Roh said in an interim report.

Investigators were examining 19 items secured from the room to find clues hinting at the cause of the fire. Also, they were probing any irregularities in managing the anti-fire system of the high-rise and selecting the material covering the exterior walls of the building.

Police and firefighters at the scene said the sprinkler system worked as the system detected heat and began to spray water.

But it fell short of keeping the fire under control and flames spread quickly through ventilation shafts in the central stairwell and also along the highly inflammable exterior walls.

The fire alarm, which remained silent even at the height of the blaze, is also subject to investigation.

The accident has turned hundreds of residents of the apartment “homeless” since Busan City has blocked their return for safety concerns.

Affected residents are temporarily staying at their relatives’ houses or have found accommodation in the vicinity. They are looking to take legal action against the builder.

“It will take some time for residents to go back to their homes as a lot of work is needed to replace the damaged water supply, electricity and communication systems,” an engineer said.