A Man Jumps Into Flames During Fire in Namyangju... Crying Out, "I Must Save My Pet Dog"

On the afternoon of the 10th, a fire broke out in a mixed-use residential and commercial building in Dasan-dong, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, spreading black smoke throughout the area.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] It was revealed that during the fire at a mixed-use residential building in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, which occurred on the afternoon of the 10th, a man tried to enter the intense flames to save his pet dog but was stopped by fire officials.

According to the fire authorities on the 11th, around 8 to 9 p.m. the previous day, before the initial fire suppression was completed, a man estimated to be in his 20s or 30s attempted to enter the building, saying, "My pet dog is alone in the apartment on the 11th floor. I need to feed him and I am very worried he might inhale smoke."

At that time, the 901 building side of the commercial complex still had active flames, and it was difficult to enter due to toxic gases and darkness.

The man tried to cross the barricade to enter, but firefighters and police officers stopped him. It was reported that he was crying out in worry for his pet dog.

A fire official said, "We understand the concern, but unauthorized entry could pose a life-threatening risk. Also, entering before the joint investigation and fire cause analysis and search for victims are completed can disturb footprints and other evidence, making accurate investigation impossible."

Meanwhile, the fire at the mixed-use residential apartment in Dasan-dong, Namyangju, was completely extinguished around 2:37 a.m. on the 11th, about 10 hours after the fire started.

The fire authorities reported that the fire, which started near a Chinese restaurant on the first floor around 4:29 p.m. the previous day, rapidly spread to other floors, prompting the issuance of a Level 2 response. They mobilized 595 firefighters and 169 pieces of equipment to extinguish the fire.

Although the large-scale deployment helped control the major flames within about an hour of the fire’s outbreak, it took considerable time to fully extinguish the fire due to the upper structure of some sections on the second floor melting from intense heat and the area being filled with toxic gases.

The fire destroyed most of the first and second floors of the commercial complex where shops were located, and about 20 vehicles parked in the first-floor parking lot were also completely burned.

Additionally, according to the fire authorities, a total of 41 people have been injured so far, with 22 of them hospitalized after inhaling toxic gases. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported, and no missing persons have been reported either.

The fire authorities are investigating the exact cause and extent of the damage based on witness statements that "the flames started near the Chinese restaurant."