Don-Mook Choi

Fire Patterns According to the Blood Hb-CO Concentration of Charred Bodies

Fire patterns have been used to determine the origin and cause of fires in every setting imaginable. However, it is very difficult to identify fire patterns and causes from the fire-damaged remains of a devastated structure. If someone was killed by the fire, it is possible to identify fire patterns by analyzing the Hb-CO concentration in charred bodies of deceased as well as the pace of the fire. For example, a low level of Hb-CO concentration in the charred bodies indicate a rapid fire with accelerants and the death was caused by severe heat and thick toxic fumes. However, a high level of Hb-CO concentration in the charred bodies demonstrates that the fire was slow and/or there was a flameless form of combustion. Thus, it is possible to identify fire patterns through analyzing the level of Hb-CO concentration on the dead from the fire. In this study, the Hb-CO concentration in the charred bodies was from 3 % at the case of gas burning oneself to death to 93 % at the death caused by smoldering fire.

A Phenomenological Study on the Flame Spread of Air Conditioner Indoor unit by Fire Tests

The purpose of this study is to check the fire origin and cause of the fire by observing the shape of the flame propagation in air-conditioner indoor unit through the fire tests. We supposed that the flame is spread from the surroundings to the top of the air-conditioner and ignited on top of the air-conditioner with n-heptane. And then repeated this experiment twice under the same conditions. After the ignition, refrigerant filled in air-conditioner and lubricating oil exploded with large explosion and flame having high temperature and pressure belched out rapidly due to bursting refrigerant pipe linked air-conditioner between 734 seconds and 559 seconds. After result of checking the combustion residue we found that almost all of that was lost except a part of the evaporator, motor and metal. The position of short-circuit traces of wiring for the air-conditioner ignited itself is similar to that of fire damage by external flame. Therefore, we verified that it is not certain to determine the ignition cause and point by only the shape of the combustion residues.

Study on Fire Risk of Air Conditioner through Fire Cases

As the quality of live gets better, the frequency of using air conditioner is along drastically increasing. On that matter, setting up measures of preventing increasing fire cases has been required. 43,413 fire cases occurred in last 2016, the cases occurred by electricity account for about 20%(8,655 cases). Among the electricity cases, the amount of cases occurred with air conditioner issues covers 1.5%; causes of the fire incidents vary, including incomplete contacts, short circuits, tracking, and such. In this study, we intend to investigate the case of ignition at the connection point where the power cord connected to the outdoor unit is arbitrarily connected during the air conditioner installation process, and to propose preventive measures against the cause in order to reduce the damage of life as well as the property from electric fire incidents.

A Study on Fire Risk of Apartment House with Pilotis Structure - Focused on the Fire case of Uijeongbu-si Urban Livig Homes -

Pilotis are support columns that lift a building above the ground. Thus, they can elevate the lowest floor to the secondfloor level and, in Korea, are used to leav a parking area below multifamily housing. However, if there is a fire in the piloti area, the cars and main entrance door are wrapped in flames. Due to the inflammability of the materials, the combustion of the cars and insulation at the ceiling of the pilotis, having a high heat release rate, can quickly destroy the front entrance of the building and spread heat, flames and a poisonous gas to the stairs and elevator pit. Therefore, the fire can quickly spread to the whole building, putting the lives of the residents in danger. This study was an in-depth accidental case study of the “Uijeongbu Fire Accident” that killed 5 residents and injured 139 others. The study identified the relationships between the fire at the piloti structure of multifamily housing and the vulnerability of this structure and its inherent weaknesses.

Arson Fire Analysis Involving the Use of Flammable Liquilds as Accelerants

Flammable liquids residues in fire debris and pyrolysis products of flammable materials were analyzed by using Gas detecting tube, Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometers (GC/MS), and Pyrolyzer. Comparison studies between chemical components detected in debris fired with and without Flammable liquids were performed. Though Flammable liquids were not present in debris, Gas detecting tube colors were also changed. Chemical components produced from conventional combustions were different from those produced from pyrolysis. Due to the difference of the reaction conditions between combustions and pyrolysis, different chemical products were produced. Petrochemical products of PVC woodlinoleum block could produce ignitable chemicals, such as toluene, ethylbenzene, undecane, and dodecane. So, for better fire investigation more consideration of those chemicals will be porformed.