Yeongdeungpo Gosiwon Fire... 2 Dead, 17 Evacuated
"Elderly and chronically ill people..." , "Did the elderly survive?" Citizens express 'regret'
Fire authorities investigating arson possibility
A fire broke out on the morning of the 11th at a gosiwon in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The fire caused the gosiwon room's window glass to shatter into pieces, showing the devastating situation at the time. Photo by Kim Jeongwan, intern reporter kjw106@asiae.co.kr
[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Jungwan Kim] "It was a place where people who had barely escaped homelessness lived..."
At around 6:30 a.m. on the 11th, a fire broke out on the second floor of a gosiwon in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, resulting in 2 deaths and 17 evacuations. The fire shattered the gosiwon's glass windows, and a ceiling fan that should have been mounted on the ceiling was found charred and lying on top of a scorched wardrobe.
Additionally, the sash supporting the glass windows was bent and shaking, creating a dangerously unstable situation where it could fall outside at any moment. The exterior wall of another gosiwon room was also blackened, indicating the urgency of the fire. Tangled electrical wires were scattered across the exterior wall, making it clear at a glance that this was a precarious scene that could have led to an even larger fire.
The deceased were men in their 50s and 70s, found in the corridor inside the gosiwon. The man in his 70s, who suffered second-degree burns, was transported to the hospital but passed away. The man in his 50s, who sustained full-body burns, was also moved to the hospital while receiving CPR but died.
In addition, 16 residents of the gosiwon evacuated on their own, and a woman in her 70s from a nearby building inhaled smoke through a window but was not classified as an injured person.
The fire department arrived at the scene six minutes after the fire broke out and controlled the major flames by around 7:15 a.m. The fire was completely extinguished at 9:37 a.m., three hours after it started. A total of 145 personnel and 42 pieces of equipment were deployed to suppress the fire.
A police line has been set up in front of the gosiwon where the fire occurred. Nearby residents expressed deep sorrow, saying that many vulnerable groups live in this gosiwon. Photo by Kim Jeongwan, intern reporter kjw106@asiae.co.kr
Civilians expressed deep sorrow, knowing that the residents of the gosiwon were vulnerable groups facing many difficulties in daily life.
Mr. Woo (66), who runs a food wholesale business in the building where the gosiwon is located, explained, "I received a call at 6:55 and came here. When I arrived, smoke was already billowing out." He added, "I think about 20 fire trucks came. This gosiwon housed many people with chronic illnesses and elderly individuals. It was a place where people who had barely escaped homelessness lived."
Mr. Yoo (54), who said he was working at a nearby construction site, also said, "I witnessed the fire around 6:40. I was sitting here at the construction site rest area when I smelled something around 6:40. From then on, I heard fire truck sirens and wondered if there was a fire somewhere. When I looked out, smoke was just starting to come out of the adjacent building."
A man who requested anonymity and said he had previously lived in this gosiwon mentioned that there were more than 30 rooms inside, so quick evacuation might have been difficult. He also said that a disabled man in his 70s lived there, and out of concern, he came to the scene.
Meanwhile, the fire department is investigating the cause of the fire. At a briefing at the scene, Yoon Youngjae, head of the Fire Administration Division at Yeongdeungpo Fire Station, said, "We are investigating whether it was arson or an accidental fire." The fire department is conducting a joint preliminary inspection with the police and other related agencies.
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