REMOTE FIRE EXTINGUISH SYSTEM

[Anchor Lead]

Yesterday we reported about a remote fire extinguishing system, that has been introduced in one of the tunnels in the city of Seoul for the first time in Korea. A simulation drill was conducted yesterday successfully, raising expectations that it will contribute greatly to preventing fatal disasters in tunnels.

[Pkg]

A truck loaded with paint thinner canisters stumbles and catches fire in a matter of seconds. Due to traffic jam in the tunnel it tookfire engines 30 minutes to get to the scene. As a result, the Sangju Tunnel fire backin 2015, took one life and injured 20 others. A drill simulating a fiery collision between a truck and a passenger car in a tunnel is carried out. As soon as the accident is reported, water begins to pour out of a fire extinguisher installed in the tunnel's ceiling.

[Soundbite] "A car is on fire in the 600-meter section toward Bundang! A car on fire!"

The fire extinguisher is operated remotely by officials in the administrative office who monitor the situation via surveillance cameras. They can accurately point the fire extinguisher at the flames without visiting the scene of the accident, thanks to the camera installed at the end of the fire extinguisher nozzle. In a matter of minutes, the raging flames are put out. Then, officials at the scene of the accident extinguish the remaining sparks to contain the inferno before fire fighters arrive.

[Soundbite] KIM HO-SUNG(SEOUL CITY GOVERNMENT) : "Currently, there are fire extinguishers only in three sections of the Guryong Tunnel. We will install them in all sections after verifying their effectiveness."

The critical time for dealing with fires in tunnels is ten minutes, as there is no evacuation space while flames and toxic gases quickly spread. Remote fire extinguishers that can accurately and swiftly discharge water as far as 25 meters are crucial for saving lives when accidents occur in a tunnel. The Seoul City Government plans to provide remote fire extinguishers to all sections of the Guryong Tunnel and seven other tunnels in the city that exceed one kilometer in length.