Firefighters trying to put out a fire that broke out in an Air Busan plane at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, on Jan 28. - Reuters
SEOUL: South Korean fire authorities recently announced six additional deployments of unmanned remotely controlled fire trucks, which played a crucial part in extinguishing the Jan 28 fire that broke out onboard an Air Busan aircraft in Busan.
The additional fire trucks, put into use nationwide in 2024, will be dispatched in Daegu, Gwangju and Gangwon, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces, according to the National Fire Agency. A total of 32 such trucks will be deployed across the country.
The new truck allows officials to extinguish flames without deploying firefighters at hazardous areas, as it is equipped with a 20m crane with nozzles that allow it to put out fires within a 10m radius.
The crane is able to plough through steel plates 4mm thick or concrete blocks 160mm thick, which proved crucial in the recent fire at Gimhae International Airport.
The truck penetrated the fuselage of the blazing plane and poured in water to allow officials to put out the fire as quickly as possible. All passengers and crew survived the ordeal, with only seven who had minor injuries.
Two of the trucks are deployed for operation in Busan, the second-most populated city in the country. - The Korea Herald/ANN
