“Fire hydrants and sprinklers at safety industrial found defective for three consecutive years… ‘a typical man-made disaster’”, 25 March 2026

A report has found that fire-fighting equipment, including hydrants and sprinklers, at Safety Industrial in Daejeon — where a fire left 74 people dead or injured — had been defective for three consecutive years.

The Minister of Employment and Labor described the incident as a “typical man-made disaster”.

According to KBS on Tuesday (25 March), an internal fire safety inspection report conducted by the company five months before the disaster marked sprinklers and hydrants with an “X”, indicating defects.

In addition, smoke detectors on the second and third floors of the company’s east building — which has been subject to allegations of illegal expansion — were also flagged as problematic.

KBS reported that a review of inspection records over the past three years showed that such defects had been repeatedly identified each year.

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The Ministry of Employment and Labor said it would conduct emergency safety inspections across the industry.

Anjun Industry closed its website and media channels and issued a public apology in response to the incident. The company stated: “We extend our deepest condolences and sincere apologies to all those who lost their lives or were injured, and to their families. The company is currently prioritising cooperation with the relevant authorities in search efforts for the missing and the treatment of the injured. We will also take full responsibility to ensure that necessary support and meaningful recovery are provided to the victims and bereaved families. (…) We will cooperate fully with the authorities, conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, and comprehensively review all safety inspections and systems to ensure that such an incident does not occur again, while promptly implementing all necessary corrective measures."