Increasing battery-linked fires

[Anchor]

Fires caused by batteries are continuing to occur in various places.

This morning (Aug. 19), a camping battery that was charging in an apartment in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province caught fire, injuring six residents.

Choi Hye-rim reports.

[Report]

The apartment balcony window is shattered, and there is black soot around the front door.

A fire broke out on the first floor of this apartment this morning.

Broken glass pieces are scattered around the house where the fire occurred.

The acrid smell still lingers, making it difficult to breathe when approaching the area.

The fire was extinguished in 25 minutes, but more than 40 people, including the family on the first floor where the fire started, had to evacuate.

During this process, six residents were injured.

[Kim Ok-hwa/Resident of Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province: "I just took my son and used a towel, but from the 5th floor, I couldn't see anything. The smoke was so thick that I couldn't see at all."]

The fire started from a camping battery that was charging inside the house.

The resident woke up to a loud 'bang' and attempted to extinguish the fire with a household fire extinguisher, but it is reported that the flames could not be controlled.

Following last week's fire in a laboratory at Seoul National University and the apartment fire in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 17th, another fire has occurred due to a battery.

The resident stated that they purchased the battery through a second-hand transaction the day before and did not know its exact condition.

[Kim Chan-soo/North Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters: "Batteries are sensitive to shock, pressure, and moisture. If a battery is exposed to such conditions, stop using it, and avoid charging it while sleeping or when going out..."]

The police are investigating the exact type of the battery and the specific circumstances of the fire.

This is KBS News, Choi Hye-rim.