In Incheon, there have been more than 20 cases of fires caused by cats in empty officetels while the owners were out, over the past five years.
According to the Incheon Fire Department on the 6th, there were a total of 27 fires caused by pet cats in Incheon over the five years from 2020 to last year. Most of the fires occurred while the owners were not present, and although there were no human casualties, the property damage amounted to 35 million won.
A similar fire occurred in an officetel in Songdo International City, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, around 8:07 p.m. on Dec. 22 last year. Fire authorities responded promptly, extinguishing the fire in 12 minutes, and there were no human casualties. However, since the fire occurred in an empty officetel with no owner present, questions arose.
The fire authorities, who initiated an investigation into the cause of the fire, identified the source as an electric stove with a charred area surrounding it. Investigations revealed that the cat owned by the resident had pressed the operational button on the kitchen's electric stove, igniting a paper box placed on top and causing the fire.
Cats have a tendency to climb to high places and can easily ascend and descend kitchen sinks approximately 1 meter high. Recently, as touch-sensitive electric stoves are commonly used, there is also a possibility of a fire occurring when the house is left unattended.
Kang Seong-eung, head of the Incheon Fire Department's field response division, advised, “When leaving your pets at home, covering operational buttons on electric stoves or heaters can prevent fires.”