Video from SBS News:

The Protective Gear Firefighters Wear is Their Lifeline, But They Were Given Unauthorized Fire Suits

Anchor

At the scene of a fire, firefighters risk their lives, hurling themselves into the flames. It was discovered however that firefighters have been provided unauthorized fire suits that have failed to pass quality inspection tests. Although this happened more than two years ago, fire officials have not yet been able to figure out how this incident occurred.

Reporter Hwa has more.

Reporter

Suits that firefighters wear while fighting fires must pass a product quality test by the Korea Fire Institute.

These are the fire suits that protect firefighters from the heat at the fire.

Therefore, the operational safety of these suits is vital.

However, thousands of fire suits that didn’t pass proper safety inspections were provided to front lines firefighters.

This news was discovered in a report received by the Public Procurement Service last month.

In the process of investigating this report, they found out that over the last two years, 19,300 sets of fire suits were distributed to the front lines although only about 14,000 sets of them passed the KFI product quality test.

This means about 5,300 sets of fire suits were supplied without having passed any inspection tests, but all 19,300 of the fire suits had stamps from KFI indicating they passed inspection.

The National Emergency Management Agency stopped using 19,300 sets of fire suits provided through the Public Procurement Service by two companies.

However, it has yet to find out how and through what process these unauthorized fire suits were supplied to front line firefighters.

Comments from Naver:

dydg****

What’s wrong with Korea? Firefighters aren’t treated fairly and drivers don’t give way to the fire engines. You should reflect on your actions.

qkdw****

The fire station is the first place you call when a fire occurs, so is it fair to treat firefighters like this?

hear****

In Korea.. how does this kind of thing happen? High ranking officials are committing corruption for their own self-interest. There’s even corruption when it comes to fire suits, which puts firefighter’s lives at risk. This is equivalent to murder.

alsl****

High ranking snobs.. They don’t do what they are supposed to do but they act only in terms of self-interest. They are worse than enemies.

diss****

We should burn all those fire suits.

tjsg****

For 15 years, my dad has been using his own money to buy fire resistant gloves as a firefighter at Dongducheon fire station.

lth4****

I really hope firemen get paid a lot and and people treat them decently. Firefighters are not even considered public servants.

wise****

This means firefighters are facing fires without any safeguards. We should not fool around with fire suits.

prun****

F***, This is where tax money should be used.

phc1****

How much longer do I need to read this kind of news?

answ****

Damn those assholes.. If your sons and daughters wore fire suits, they would have upgraded to the best authorized suits. You guys should not live like that. Such evil human beings.

tkd1****

High ranking officials should use tax money on firefighters, not on their drinking.

ssck****

Heol, fire suits are worse than clothes that welding operators wear. Investigate all the people who deal with the fire equipment budget.

mari****

Once firefighters are treated well, the general public as well as Korea can develop.

whit****

The person who allowed those fire suits to be sold should receive a severe sentence, such as 30 years imprisonment and a fine. He gambled with people’s lives.

wjdg****

This country is rubbish.

ljyc****

Figure out the whole story in detail and arrest the people who committed the wrong.

7550****

What a sight.. How is it possible to fool around with the life?

baec****