Korea Zinc deploys dedicated fire truck at Onsan smelter to boost emergency response

[Korea Zinc has deployed a dedicated fire truck at its Onsan smelter to strengthen early fire response. The company determined that securing the critical window immediately after a fire breaks out is decisive in limiting damage at a facility where production equipment is densely concentrated.

Korea Zinc announced Friday that it had recently stationed the dedicated vehicle at the Onsan smelter. The move aims to minimize the risk of casualties, damage to production facilities and environmental contamination in the event of a fire.

Safety investment in industrial settings is increasingly recognized not merely as a cost but as a core management priority that determines production stability and community trust. Smelters, where high-temperature and electrical equipment operate side by side, particularly require a robust first-response system to contain fires before they spread.

The newly introduced vehicle is a dedicated fire truck built on a 1-ton electric truck platform. It carries a 650-liter water tank and a 320-volt electric pump. The design prioritizes maneuverability — allowing faster access to the scene than larger vehicles — given the smelter's narrow spaces between equipment and complex traffic patterns.

The discharge system is also engineered for initial suppression. The truck delivers 500 liters of water per minute and features a body spray system driven by a fire pump capable of up to 15 bar of pressure. Operators can select from automatic front-spray, hose-reel discharge or standard fire-hose discharge depending on the situation.

Another key feature is the ability to operate the front automatic water cannon from inside the cab. This reduces workers' exposure to danger while approaching a fire and enables a faster initial attack on the flames.

Korea Zinc expects the dedicated truck to shorten the response time of its in-house disaster prevention team before public fire department units arrive. Swift initial suppression, equipment shutdown and personnel evacuation will contain the spread of fire and reduce secondary damage, the company said.

The Onsan smelter already operates an in-house fire brigade responsible for fire prevention and emergency response. Regular fire drills and emergency response exercises are conducted so that internal personnel — who are familiar with the plant's processes, equipment layout and work routes — can lead the initial response.

Korea Zinc plans to expand employee safety education alongside operation of the dedicated fire truck. The company also intends to deepen joint drills and information sharing with the fire department and other relevant authorities to further develop its workplace fire response system.

"Effective fire response requires not only close cooperation with fire authorities but also a strong role from the in-house disaster prevention team, which knows the workplace best," a Korea Zinc official said. "We will continue to expand safety investment and do our utmost to protect the safety of our workers, production facilities and the local community."