South Korea’s extreme heat wave managed to activate a sprinkler system during an indoor event in Gangjin-gun, South Jeolla Province, on Thursday, after a heat sensor triggered the fire alarm.
The sudden activation drenched the venue and abruptly halted the event.
According to the Gangjin-gun Office, the incident occurred at Baekwoondong Exhibition Hall during a talk session with the county chief when water unexpectedly began pouring from the ceiling sprinklers, despite there being no fire.
Officials explained that the sprinkler system was triggered because the air near the ceiling had reached 72 degrees Celsius. Although the room was air-conditioned, the glass ceiling, covered with a curtain for shade, absorbed intense outdoor heat.
Temperatures in Gangjin-gun peaked at 34.7 C that day, and the event began around 2 p.m., during the hottest part of the afternoon.
“With the recent heat wave, the glass ceiling led to an unexpected situation,” a county official said. “We’re now considering installing a heat-blocking film or adding shading materials to prevent something like this from happening again.”
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