On-Site Inspection Today Following School Fire Caused by Smoking

[Anchor]
 
By law, all elementary, middle, and high schools are strictly non-smoking zones. However, at a high school in North Chungcheong Province, a fire broke out after students were reportedly allowed to smoke on campus.

Reporter Cho Min-ki has the details.

[Reporter]

Flames reaching knee-height charred the walls, and the insulation on the wires of an air conditioner outdoor unit melted.

The fire broke out during lunchtime on the 23rd of last month at a specialized high school in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, as students were smoking.

The problem is that the area near the school warehouse had routinely been used as a smoking area.

Students stated that the school principal effectively permitted smoking in that space, having told an all-school assembly last year to "dispose of cigarette butts properly."

[Student at School A: They told us to smoke only over there (by the warehouse). They said, 'You can smoke, just clean up the trash properly,' so I think the kids smoked even more.]

[Principal of School A: I didn't say anything inappropriate, and connecting that to mean I 'condoned or encouraged smoking' is quite a logical leap, wouldn't you say?]

This is the main gate of the school where the fire occurred.

Although there are signs stating that the area within 50 meters of the entrance is a non-smoking zone, smoking took place openly on campus.

Under the National Health Promotion Act, all elementary, middle, and high school grounds are non-smoking zones, but the principal himself reportedly used to smoke in the very area where the fire broke out.

[Principal of School A: I have smoked near the warehouse. I used to do it sometimes between classes.]

When the fire occurred, seemingly concerned about the incident becoming public, the principal even berated a student who filmed the scene of the fire.

[Student at School A: I filmed it because I was scared in the moment.]

[Principal of School A: You don't film just because you're scared. Why don't you go wait! Go wait in the principal's office!]

The principal also sent text messages to the parent of the student who tipped off SBS, reading, "This isn't a good thing for the school to be publicized for," and "We ask for your wise judgment."

[Student at School A: (Friends) kicked the doors and said, 'Because of you guys, we can't smoke anymore.' It was a bit scary coming to school.]

According to SBS reporting, the provincial Office of Education received at least four complaints starting last year regarding faculty and students smoking on campus, but no on-site inspections were conducted.

As reporting began, the North Chungcheong Office of Education announced that it would conduct an on-site inspection of the school.

(Camera Reporter: Lee Sang-hak, Video Editor: Shin Se-eun, Designer: Kim Ye-ji)
 

※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.