A Police Officer's Swift Response Shines at the Apartment Fire Scene
On May 20th, around 4:45 AM, an emergency call received by the 112 hotline from a road near an apartment in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, nearly led to a major disaster.
According to the Suwon Southern Police Station on the 24th, Officer Jeong Ji-hoon from the San-nam District Police Station has been recognized for his quick actions that saved the lives of 65 residents.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Jeong heard shocking statements from the caller, who said, "It seems like bricks were thrown from a nearby apartment. When I went to check, I found that a broom on an ashtray had caught fire, and a suspicious person with a covered face fled the scene."
Immediate Responses
Without hesitation, Officer Jeong rushed up to the apartment complex, confirmed that a fire had ignited in a unit on the first floor, and requested support from the 112 situation room. He also asked the security office to broadcast announcements for residents to evacuate.
A Brave Effort to Rescue Residents
Officer Jeong asked nearby residents for fire extinguishers and received three, attempting to put out the fire himself; however, it was insufficient to stop the rapidly spreading flames. Concerned about the potential for mass casualties, he ran through the smoke-filled apartment corridors, knocking on doors to alert each household about the fire outbreak. Thanks to his swift response, all 65 residents were able to evacuate safely.
Through investigations including analysis of apartment CCTV footage, police identified a man in his 50s, Mr. A, residing in another building of the same apartment complex, as a primary suspect.
On the same day at 12:22 PM, Mr. A was arrested on charges of arson and property damage while he was at his residence, and was subsequently transferred for detention on the 23rd of the same month.
Bizarre Motives and Damage Details
Investigations revealed that Mr. A had been drinking and causing a disturbance by throwing bricks toward the road from the apartment smoking area that morning. Alarmingly, he set the fire after stating that he felt "uncomfortable" with the gaze of a cat belonging to a first-floor resident.
This absurd act resulted in property damage, as two vehicles were affected, suffering damage from bricks that tore through roof panels and caused dents. Additionally, four residents of the apartment inhaled smoke, and one individual sustained a fractured left foot after jumping from a first-floor balcony to the ground.
Officer Jeong stated, "It was a critical situation where I almost collapsed after inhaling the thick smoke, but I'm grateful that the incident was resolved without significant harm. I will continue to diligently carry out my duty of protecting the lives and safety of the citizens entrusted to me."
Meanwhile, the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency has been conducting the "I Am Police" project since March to share various field cases as content and enhance communication with citizens.
The police reported that they selected this incident as the 11th example to improve practices that undermine community trust in the three basic orders (traffic, daily life, and the economy) and have posted related videos on YouTube.
Image source: Reference material for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank
