Sales event in old buildings for senior citizens and other people who collected prizes… The local government didn't know
32-year-old building, excluding regular inspections… Management gaps revealed by similar events and collapses across the country
(Daegu = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Se-jin = In the wake of an accident in Daegu in which 38 people were injured when a ceiling covering collapsed during a sales event that was not reported to the local government, it is pointed out that the operation status and safety management system of short-term sales events targeting the elderly should be inspected.
Since these events are often held in rented locations for a short period of time, it is difficult for local governments to even know that they are being held, raising concerns that safety management may be neglected.
In particular, the building where this accident occurred was found to be excluded from regular statutory safety inspections even though it has been completed 32 years ago, and some voices are calling for measures to eliminate blind spots in safety management of small, old buildings.
According to Daegu Buk-gu on the 11th, the accident the previous day occurred when a ceiling finishing material fell while company A was holding a kitchenware sales event without reporting it as a sales business to the district office.
Starting this month, Company A gathered attendees and held an event, saying it would hand out prizes such as toilet paper, and it was found that the event was held at the same location in March of last year.
Sales events similar to Company A's business method are being held throughout the country, including Daegu.
According to administrative authorities and police, news of the event is spread mainly at senior centers or welfare centers where seniors gather, and attendance is encouraged by saying, "If you attend the event, you can receive free items."
Like this accident, these events are held for a short period of time and then disappear without reporting the sales business to the local district office, so they are also in the blind spot of local government management and supervision.
An official from a local government said, "Events that sell household goods to the elderly or recruit multi-level members are held in one area for a short time and then hold another event in another area," and added, "They are usually held in old buildings with lower rents than in buildings with the latest facilities."
Even if the company holds an event in this way in an old building that has been abandoned for a long time, it is difficult for the local government to recognize this in advance.
The jurisdictional Buk-gu district was also unaware that Company A was holding a sales event at that location until the accident occurred the previous day.
This is why concerns are raised that an accident similar to the previous day could occur somewhere else at any time.
The four-story building where Company A held the event is also an old building, completed in 1994.
This event was also held in a space that had remained vacant for about a year and seven months after Company A held a sales event on the second floor of the building in March of last year, and a collapse of the finishing materials occurred.
According to Buk-gu, the building in question had a total floor area of 892㎡ and was not included in the statutory regular safety inspection obligations.
Small-scale buildings must be designated as separate targets by the head of the local government based on ordinance for regular inspection.
A local government official said, “If the company does not report in advance before the event, it is realistically difficult for the local government to fully understand the current situation,” and added, “I think there is a need to improve the regulations for management of old buildings and product sales events.”
After inspecting the accident site, Daegu Mayor Chu Kyung-ho announced on Facebook, "We will conduct safety inspections on old facilities throughout Daegu City and quickly take necessary measures to ensure citizens' peace of mind."
