미군 막사 화재 조사보고서

HEADQUARTERS KOREAN ARMY ADVISORY GROUP APO 4 1 June 1949 REPORT OF INVESTIGATION REASON FOR INVESTIGATION On 17 May 1949 a tropical prefabricated barracks on Cheju Do caught fire and was completely destroyed. DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION At 1250 hours, 17 May 1949 Capt. Richard A. Haskell and Sgt. William H. Rineheart entered building No. 1, located at the air strip, Cheju Do. As they entered the building they heard a dull explosion under the floor. Immediately the entire partition between the orderly room and the spare bedroom burst into flame and rapidly spread to other rooms of the building. Capt. Haskell gave the alarm and all personnel present tried to combat the flames. The fire spread so rapidly that no one could enter the building in order to save any Government or personal property, although several attempts were made to do so. The only fire fighting equipment available for combating the fire were fire extinguishers and buckets of water. There is no civilian or Korean Army fire fighting equipment on the island which could have been called upon for aid. The fire spread so rapidly that small fire extinguishers were of no use in fighting the fire. The fire was not caused from fire in the building stove because there was no fire in the stove. There was no electric current on to have caused a fire by shortage in wires. There were no inflammable liquids other than lighter fluid in the building. After the fire was out, Capt. Haskell inspected the ruins of the building and found a burned piece of bamboo about the size of bamboo used by guerilla forces on Cheju Do for making fire bombs of gasoline and gunpowder. This piece of burned bamboo was found at the approximate place where the fire started. Normally all personnel would have been in the mess hall at the time of the fire, thus giving saboteurs an opportunity to set a fire bomb. The housing area is not fenced in so as to prevent entrance by anyone trying to destroy government property. CONCLUSIONS 1. That the fire was started by sabotage since no other cause for the fire could be found and because there was an explosion followed by a very rapid spreading of the flames. 2. The building area occupied by Americans on Cheju Do is not sufficiently protected against repeated attacks of this kind. 3. The barracks building was completely destroyed by fire, and all contents both government and personal were completely destroyed. 4. There is not sufficient fire fighting equipment on Cheju Do to fight fires of this type. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That all concerned be relieved of responsibility for property destroyed by the fire. 2. A fence be erected around the entire American housing area and sufficient Korean Army guards be posted to prevent recurrence of this type of sabotage. Harry N. Moore BARRY R. MOORE Capt CE Investigating Officer Hq KMAG, APO 404 7 June 1949 Approved. BY COMMAND OF BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERTS: M J Bartosik M J BARTOSIK Lt Col AGD Adjutant General