"Gas Stations Not Designated as Non-Smoking Zones"... Fire Destroying 660 Vehicles and 'Smoking Villains'

Despite the risk that smoking within a gas station could lead to a massive fire, points have been raised that regulations to designate gas stations as non-smoking zones and punish violators are insufficient under current law. According to a JTBC 'Han Moonchul's Dashcam Review' video, safety management blind spots were revealed as recent major fire accidents and dangerous smoking cases in gas stations and buses were disclosed.

A 1.9 billion won fire accident caused by smoking near LPG gas

The video introduced a massive fire accident that occurred in an apartment underground parking lot in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. According to the captured footage, the accident occurred in a situation presumed to be caused by a gas leak inside a steam car washer or a pressure vessel issue. In particular, circumstances were mentioned where an on-site employee attempted to light a cigarette at the time of the accident, raising the possibility that this caused the flames to spread. The fire was suppressed in about 3 hours, but during this process, an employee in their 30s suffered burns all over their body, and the number of damaged vehicles reached approximately 660. The damage amount estimated by the fire station is about 1.9 billion won.

"No punishment regulations"... Legal limits of designating gas stations as non-smoking zones

The difficulty of legal responses to dangerous behavior in gas stations was also addressed. Among the cases in the video, there were instances where attempts to smoke at a self-service gas station were captured, and cases where individuals persisted while swearing at employees who tried to stop them. The employee who was intervening reported that the smoker lit a cigarette again just one or two steps away, and afterward, continued to swear and persist for 20 to 30 seconds. The cast pointed out that smoking at a gas station is a dangerous act that could lead to an explosion, but it was confirmed that there are no clear regulations under the current Framework Act on Fire Services to designate gas stations themselves as non-smoking zones and punish them. Applying attempted arson is also impossible in this situation.

According to the video, as of October 2023, only 10 out of 25 autonomous districts in Seoul have designated and announced gas stations as non-smoking zones. Since the designation of gas stations as non-smoking zones is decided through the ordinances of each local government, an analysis suggested that the difference in whether regulations exist by region is causing an imbalance in safety management. For example, it was mentioned that in Cheonan, gas stations are not designated as non-smoking zones. The cast expressed the opinion that effective measures, such as designating non-smoking zones and imposing fines at the local government level for businesses related to hazardous materials, are necessary.

Smoking on buses and assaulting passengers... Threatening public transportation safety

Indiscriminate smoking and violence within public transportation were also revealed. According to an interview with a city bus driver, a passenger who was intoxicated and had been staggering and swearing since boarding around 10:40 PM opened the window and lit a cigarette inside the bus. The passenger showed an unrepentant attitude toward the driver who tried to stop the smoking, saying, "Report me if you want to," and after the driver reported it to the police, it escalated to violence, such as kicking the vehicle or striking the driver's face. The driver stated that due to this accident, they suffered severe swelling and bleeding around the eyes and had to undergo CT scans and disinfection treatment. It was mentioned that the passenger showed no signs of remorse during the police investigation and has a poor character.