Coordinate the whole building: the Banyan Tree construction-site fire
Six people died in the 14 February 2025 fire at a resort construction site in Gijang, Busan. Hot work, combustible materials and escape arrangements need to be managed together across contractors.
The prosecution account
Subsequent reporting described charges concerning incomplete fire protection, simultaneous hazardous activities and welding-spark precautions. Charges are not a final judicial finding.
The case should not be reduced to the actions of a single worker.
Look beyond the welding point
Assess spaces below and behind the work and the locations of combustible materials. Where a concealed area cannot be checked, reassess the scope and method rather than assuming a clear view of the work point is sufficient.
HSE · 공사장 화재 예방 / General fire safety
Check your workplace
- Can sparks reach another floor or concealed space?
- Do different contractors’ activities overlap?
- Which escape routes and alarms work today?
Coordinate simultaneous work
A welding permit and an insulation-delivery plan may each look acceptable separately while conflicting in the same building. Coordinate the time, location and escape implications, including temporary changes to fire protection.
HSE · 공사장 화재 예방 / General fire safety
Make escape fit today’s construction stage
Partitions and material storage can change routes. Confirm an available route and an effective way to raise the alarm before starting.
On evacuation, account for people and give responders information about anyone missing.
Putting it into practice
If insulation arrives on the floor below a welding job, pause and coordinate both activities. The UK fire-safety reference supports general planning principles; local requirements and the site’s actual conditions determine the controls.
Technical insight
Escape routes change as construction progresses
Work on other floors and temporary storage can alter fire exposure and access. Contractor-by-contractor checks can miss a shared route.
Review the daily work layout alongside escape routes. Identify who communicates changes when one contractor’s activities affect another group’s evacuation.
Korean safety resources
- KOSHA · Practical safety handbook 57: Inorganic chemical manufacturing (2021)
Korean handbook: chemical plant fire/explosion/leaks p.166 and turnaround maintenance p.203. Prevention guidance, not an investigation of this incident.
Sources
- 경향신문 · 부산 반얀트리 화재 기소 내용대한민국 / South Korea
- HSE · 공사장 화재 예방 / General fire safety영국 지침 / UK guidance