![The scene of a fire at the National Election Commission compound in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/04/news-p.v1.20260604.7a9b2854eaa94c32a6f655c7a0872ed6_P1.jpg)
Police launched a second round of forensic examination Thursday to determine the cause of a fire that broke out inside the National Election Commission compound in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the day of the June 3 local elections.
Six investigators from the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency's scientific investigation unit began the follow-up examination at 10 a.m. Thursday, a day after an initial on-site inspection Wednesday afternoon when the fire occurred.
The examination is focused on pinpointing the exact ignition point and cause, centering on a walking trail behind the NEC building where the blaze is believed to have started.
The fire broke out around 7:50 p.m. Wednesday on a hillside at the rear of the NEC compound, just as ballot counting for the local elections was getting underway. Police riot unit members contained the initial spread, and firefighters extinguished the blaze within about 10 minutes of arriving on scene.
No injuries were reported, though a portion of the surrounding woodland was burned.
The fire site is about 100 meters from the NEC's main building, where a wooden deck trail has been built for staff. A fence enclosing the compound restricts outside access.
Police said they are investigating multiple possibilities, including an intrusion by an outsider or accidental ignition by someone inside the compound.
betterj@heraldcorp.com
