"Eunma Apartment Fire That Killed High School Girl: Unlicensed Contractor Suspected of Faulty Electrical Work"

Fire Department Releases 167-Page Report After 5 Months
Contractor Performed Unreported "Rat Tail Splicing"

A report from the fire authorities has suggested that there is a possible link between the fire and interior construction work in connection with the case of a high school girl who died in a fire at Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong, Seoul last February.

According to Yonhap News on July 19, the fire authorities recently presented this tentative conclusion in a 167-page report from the Gangnam Fire Station. The investigative team ultimately closed the case as "cause unknown" because all physical evidence that could identify the origin of the fire was destroyed in the blaze. However, they pointed to the possibility that negligence by the contractor during electrical wiring work a month before the fire may have contributed as an electrical factor. At the time, not only the kitchen, floors, bathroom, and windows of the apartment unit where the fire occurred but even the lighting were renovated.

Police and fire officials are conducting a joint investigation to determine the cause of the fire that occurred on February 24 at Eunma Apartments. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the investigative team, the landlord carried out a full renovation of the apartment in January that year at the suggestion of a real estate agent. The interior company introduced by the agent expanded the kitchen by knocking down an inner wall to merge it with an adjacent small room. As a result, electrical work was carried out to install a larger light fixture covering the two spaces. For this, the existing wires for the light fixtures were each extended by 1 meter and 1.2 meters, and the new wiring was joined to the existing wiring using a method called "rat tail splicing." "Rat tail splicing" refers to stripping insulation off two wires, twisting the copper conductors together with tools, and then tightly wrapping them with electrical tape.

The investigation team noted, "This weakens the mechanical strength at the connection point and increases contact resistance, which can cause heat build-up," adding, "The possibility of ignition due to construction defects such as damaged wires or faulty connections cannot be ruled out." It was also discovered that the workers who had handled the wires had neither technical certifications nor licenses in electrical work. Furthermore, it was revealed that protective conduits that are typically installed over wires to prevent fires were not used in this case.

Based on these circumstances, the investigation team concluded, "Several consecutive rat tail splice connections were identified; the work was carried out without any safety inspection, which likely led to localized heating." They further suggested, "It is necessary to require verification of an electrical work license in the management regulations for apartment buildings in order to fundamentally prevent unqualified persons from performing substandard work."

At the time, the contractor reportedly did not report the electrical wiring work in question to the apartment management office. Normally, construction involving electrical facilities must be approved by the apartment management authority. The construction plan listed heating, plumbing, wallpapering, and bathroom work, but did not mention any electrical work. The representative of the company stated during the investigation, "I must have forgotten to include it."

The bereaved family member, Mr./Ms. A, stated, "Residents have no way of knowing about the wiring above their ceilings, and no one should tamper with it easily. A person died, and another family member suffered severe burns. We urge a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire, the motives, and those responsible."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.