AI-Selected News Keywords: UPS Lithium-Ion Battery, Replacement Recommendation Ignored, Government IT System Outage
- UPS Lithium-Ion Battery: An energy storage device widely used in data centers and server rooms for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). In the event of a thermal runaway, fires can spread rapidly, requiring careful handling, storage, and suppression measures.
- Replacement Recommendation Ignored: The UPS battery in question had either exceeded its service life (10 years) or had received replacement recommendations from the manufacturer/inspection agency, but it continued to be used. This issue lies at the core of safety management and accountability debates.
- Government IT System Outage: The fire caused hundreds of government administrative and information systems (reports indicate around 600 systems) to go offline temporarily. Priority restoration of critical systems is underway, significantly impacting the stability of public services.
Overview
On the night of September 26, 2025, a fire broke out at the Daejeon headquarters of the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Yuseong District, Daejeon. Fire and investigation authorities report that the blaze originated from a lithium-ion battery installed in a UPS. Sparks occurred while a worker was detaching and moving the battery, triggering thermal runaway, which led to the ignition of servers and IT equipment. This caused hundreds of government administrative systems to go offline temporarily, resulting in extensive disruption. The battery had exceeded its service life and had prior replacement recommendations, and a joint forensic investigation and criminal inquiry are underway alongside firefighting and recovery efforts.
Fire Progression and Suspected Cause
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Thirteen workers were moving UPS batteries from the server room to the basement when sparks occurred while disconnecting the battery terminals. These sparks likely triggered thermal runaway, causing the fire to spread. Some reports suggest the battery may have been nearly fully charged (supported by a minor burn incident during handling). A joint forensic investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of ignition and accountability.
Battery Condition and Management History (Replacement Recommendations, etc.)
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The UPS battery involved was supplied in 2014, exceeding its 10-year service life. During an inspection in June 2024, it received a replacement recommendation. However, subsequent inspections reportedly deemed it “normal,” raising questions about whether the recommendation was acted upon and the adequacy of inspection and assessment processes. This issue has sparked debates over safety management responsibility and internal decision-making and inspection procedures within the agency.
IT System Damage and Recovery Status
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The fire disrupted approximately 600 administrative information systems according to reports. The government is conducting phased restoration, prioritizing critical systems. Some systems (e.g., 119 multi-media reporting system of the Fire Department) were restored immediately. Restoration priorities are determined based on their impact on public safety and economic activities. System recovery is being conducted alongside data integrity checks.
Firefighting Difficulty and Safety Concerns
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Lithium-ion batteries are difficult to extinguish with small amounts of water during thermal runaway, requiring large-scale cooling or submersion. This incident also saw re-ignition after initial suppression, resulting in prolonged firefighting and hot-spot elimination. Physical layout risks, such as the approximately 60 cm spacing between servers and batteries, have also been highlighted. Consequently, there are growing calls to review safety regulations in data center design and operations.