A Chinese national was booked on Monday for accidentally causing a fire at a cold storage warehouse in South Korea's Wando County last week that killed two firefighters, police said. The suspect used a torch while removing epoxy flooring during repaving work, according to the Wando police station.
A fire broke out last week at a cold storage warehouse in Wando County, southwestern South Korea, killing two firefighters. A file photo from April 12 shows firefighters extinguishing the blaze.
A Chinese national was booked without detention on Monday, suspected of causing the fire while using a torch to remove epoxy flooring—a highly flammable substance—during floor-leveling and repaving work, according to the Wando police station.
The suspect was working alone, violating safety protocols that require a two-person team for fire-related tasks, officials said. The suspect's manager, absent from the site, was the first to report the blaze.
Police have determined the Chinese national is clearly at fault for using restricted heating equipment during work involving flammable materials like epoxy. They are reviewing whether the manager can also be held accountable for safety violations.
