"Expel Chinese Robot Vacuums!" Public Outrage... But Surprising Conclusion: "Not the Cause of the Fire"

The apartment fire that broke out in Apgujeong Hanyang Apartment last July.

At the time, a heavily burned robotic vacuum cleaner charger was found at the origin of the fire, and the initial witness stated that flames ignited near the robot vacuum, raising the possibility that the appliance caused the fire.

However, the final investigation results by the fire authorities were different.

The fire was caused not by the robot vacuum, but by an electrical outlet located inside a "wall cavity" created during interior remodeling.

According to a fire investigation report obtained from the National Fire Agency by the office of lawmaker Lee Sang-sik of the Democratic Party of Korea, the fire authorities ultimately concluded the cause of the fire was a "short circuit caused by tracking."

Tracking refers to a phenomenon where foreign substances such as moisture or dust accumulate on electrical equipment like outlets, allowing current to flow across the surface of the insulator and potentially spark a fire.

The apartment where the fire occurred had expanded its balcony during interior remodeling.

In the process, a false wall was installed to conceal drainage pipes and electrical wiring that were originally on the balcony, creating a narrow space inside the wall cut off from the outside.

An electrical outlet to connect an internet modem was also installed inside this hidden space so it would not be visible.

An analysis of this outlet by the Fire Investigation Research Center of the Seoul Disaster and Fire Headquarters revealed traces indicating that tracking had occurred at the terminals where wires entered and at the ground terminal.

Traces of terminals melting due to instantaneous high heat were also confirmed.

The possibility was raised that the monsoon rains, which continued until right before the fire, also had an impact.

Moisture and condensation formed around the drainage pipe, and combined with dust and foreign substances inside the sealed wall cavity, likely triggered the tracking.

The problem was that the fire started inside the wall.

The fire authorities analyzed that because it was difficult to detect directly from the outside, recognition of the fire was delayed, during which time the flames grew larger.

The National Forensic Service also analyzed the robot vacuum charger, but no electrical anomalies that could be considered the cause of the fire were found in the terminals, fuse, power and communication lines, or motor.

It was also confirmed that the wood inside the wall cavity was burned much more severely than the area around the robot vacuum.

Although sprinklers were not installed in this apartment, which was completed in 1978, a 65-year-old security guard ran down the hallway knocking on doors to evacuate residents at the time of the fire, and fortunately, there were no casualties.

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.