Fire at Namyangju Mixed-Use Building... Hundreds Evacuated, 28 Suffer Smoke Inhalation (Comprehensive)

Fire Suspected to Start in 1st Floor Chinese Restaurant Kitchen... Flames Spread to Building Parking Lot and 2nd Floor
80 Equipment Including Helicopters and About 400 Personnel Deployed... Major Flames Controlled but Residual Fire Remains
Nearby Donong Station Trains Pass Without Stopping for Over 4 Hours... "Difficult to Predict When Stops Will Resume"

On the 10th, a fire broke out in a mixed-use residential and commercial building in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, causing 28 residents and others to suffer from smoke inhalation, and hundreds evacuated.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] On the 10th, a fire broke out in a mixed-use residential and commercial building in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, causing 28 residents and others to suffer from smoke inhalation and prompting hundreds to evacuate. At Donong Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, located right in front of the building, trains passed through without stopping for more than four hours.

According to the fire authorities, the fire started around 4:30 PM on the 10th on the first floor of a mixed-use residential and commercial building in Dasan-dong, Namyangju-si. The fire is presumed to have started in the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant on the first floor, and the flames spread to the building’s parking lot and the second floor. During this process, thick black smoke spread throughout the area, and several loud explosions were reported.

Hundreds of people in the shopping area and mart evacuated urgently due to the fire. Among them, 28 people inside the apartments above the shopping area who could not evacuate in time suffered from smoke inhalation. Of these, 12 were transported to nearby hospitals.

A large mart is located in the basement of the building, and shops are gathered on the lower floors above ground. High-rise apartments are located above, which caused the fire authorities to be on high alert at one point.

The fire authorities issued a Level 2 response and deployed about 80 pieces of equipment, including three helicopters, and approximately 400 personnel to extinguish the fire. Although the main flames were brought under control, as of around 8:30 PM, smoldering fires remained in the shops on the second floor, and firefighting efforts were ongoing.

Due to this fire, trains at Donong Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, located right in front of the building, passed through without stopping from 4:44 PM on the same day. A Korail official explained, "(Normal operation) will likely have to wait until the smoke caused by the fire completely clears," adding, "It is still difficult to predict when trains will be able to stop again."

Earlier, Namyangju City sent disaster alert messages to local residents, urging them to "detour around the area and be cautious of safety accidents."

Authorities are currently checking for any additional casualties inside vehicles and the shopping building. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are also under investigation.