Predicting the Fire Spread Path in Jecheon Sports Center Using a Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS)

Abstract

In 2017, a fire at the Jecheon Sports Center resulted in approximately 80 casualties. Interestingly, the extent of fire damage on the second and third floors differed from the general type of fire damage. The white papers and reports of the Jecheon Fire Department indicated that the primary spread path of the fire was a freight elevator. However, analysis of the damage caused, CCTV footage, and victim testimonies suggested that the freight elevator may not have been the primary fire spread path on the second and third floors. Therefore, further investigation was needed to identify the cause of the fire. In this study, fire simulations were conducted using a Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and compared with actual fire cases, which enabled us to predict the fire spread path accurately. It was found that the main stairway was more likely to have been the main fire spread path than the freight elevator.