"There's a Burning Smell"...Official's Intuition Saves 16 Households

Preventing a Major Apartment Fire: The Swift Actions of Administrative Officer Jongseong Kim in Seo-gu, Gwangju
Two Hours of Vigilance
From Detecting a Nighttime Fire to Evacuation and Emergency Reporting

A fire that broke out in an aging apartment complex late at night in Gwangju’s Seo-gu District could have escalated into a major disaster. However, it was recently revealed that a swift initial response from a local public official in Seo-gu, Gwangju, prevented any casualties.

An observant official did not ignore the faint smell of burning, responded immediately by calling 119, and then helped evacuate sleeping residents—successfully protecting the critical “golden time” for fire response.

Kim Jongsung, Officer of Western Safety Headquarters.

Jongseong Kim, Administrative Officer of the Western Safety Division of Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, discovered a fire in an apartment building in Ssangchon-dong, Seo-gu, at approximately 12:47 a.m. on September 2. He acted quickly to evacuate residents and thereby prevented any loss of life.

The building where the fire occurred was an old apartment complex completed in 1983, housing 16 households. As the fire broke out late at night when most residents were asleep, any delay in its detection or evacuation could have resulted in serious damage.

Kim’s response began more than two hours before the fire started.

At around 10:30 p.m. the previous evening, while returning home after exercising, Kim detected a faint burning smell in the area. Rather than ignoring it, he walked around to check for any signs of fire. Although he did not notice clear signs at that time, he continued to keep an eye on the neighborhood through his window after arriving home.

Then, at about 12:47 a.m., he heard a loud ‘pop’ and observed smoke rising from the third floor of a nearby apartment building.

Kim immediately called 119 and rushed to the building where the fire had started. He rang the doorbells and knocked on the doors of each unit, waking up residents and helping them evacuate.

After the evacuation, Kim assisted the arriving fire trucks to access the scene quickly and provided the firefighters with precise information about the fire’s location and the on-site situation.

Thanks to such prompt action, all residents were safely evacuated and no casualties occurred.

The Western Police Department has decided to present Kim with a certificate of appreciation, stating that his quick reporting and assistance with the evacuation helped prevent a potentially major loss of life.

Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu District Office, said, “His quick initial response—immediately reporting the danger and leading residents to evacuate—prevented a situation that could have become a major accident. We will further strengthen our field-centered safety administration, which places the highest priority on the lives and safety of our residents and ensures swift responses during crises.”

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