A 30s woman who sent a selfie with a lighting charcoal caused a fire in a villa, leading to the death of an innocent resident.
A woman in her 30s has been sentenced to prison for causing a fire that resulted in the death of one resident and injuries to several others in a villa when she ignited charcoal in her vehicle.
It was revealed that the woman attempted to take her own life by setting the fire, but she managed to escape from her car unharmed.
According to the legal community, the Jeonju District Court's Criminal Division 6 (Judge Kim Hyun-ji) sentenced woman A, who was arrested and indicted on charges of serious arson and manslaughter, to 7 years and 6 months in prison on the 12th.
A prison sentence, like imprisonment, restricts personal freedom while held in a correctional facility, but does not impose labor obligations.
On April 29 at around 12:40 PM, A ignited lighting charcoal inside her vehicle parked in the first-floor parking lot of a villa in Hyoja-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju.
As a result of the fire, a woman in her 40s lost her life, and other residents suffered various injuries including smoke inhalation and chest pain.
Villa with pilotis structure, fire vulnerability exacerbates human casualties.
The villa where the incident occurred had a 'pilotis structure', with the first floor used as a parking lot. Due to this structural feature, the heat and toxic gases from the fire quickly spread to the upper floors, filling the interior of the building.
The dangers of pilotis structured buildings, which are vulnerable to fire safety, were once again highlighted by this incident.
Particularly shocking is the fact that A took the time to send a photo of the lit charcoal to her boyfriend after igniting it.
The court criticized A’s actions sharply, stating, "If she had tried to extinguish the fire at that time, it would not have escalated to this extent."
In its ruling, the court emphasized the severity of the victim's suffering, stating, "The victim, whose body was engulfed in flames due to the defendant's actions, suffered unimaginable pain before dying."
Furthermore, the court stated, "Considering that the bereaved family and the building owner are requesting severe punishment, and that losses from both human casualties and property damage are irreparable and unlikely to be compensated in the future, severe punishment is unavoidable."
Image source: Jeonbuk Fire Department, reference photo for understanding the article / Photo = Insight, reference photo for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank
