Fire in Soundproof Tunnel near Gwacheon Buk-uiwang IC... 5 Dead (Comprehensive)

Among 29 Injured, 3 Seriously Hurt... Facial Burns

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] At around 1:49 PM on the 29th, a fire broke out in the soundproof tunnel section near Bukuiwang IC on the 2nd Gyeongin Expressway in Galhyeon-dong, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do. As of 4:30 PM the same day, 5 people have died and 29 have been injured.

According to the fire authorities, the fire is estimated to have spread significantly after a collision between a bus and a truck traveling on the expressway caused the fire to spread into the soundproof tunnel. Currently, the police are controlling access to both directions of the soundproof tunnel and are guiding vehicles to detour at adjacent ICs.

On the afternoon of the 29th, firefighters are conducting extinguishing operations on the Galhyeon Overpass of the Second Gyeongin Expressway near Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, where a fire broke out. Photo by Yonhap News

The total number of casualties caused by the fire is currently 35. The 5 deceased were found in the accident vehicles and other locations. Among the 29 injured, 3 are in serious condition with injuries such as facial burns. The other 26 are reported to have minor injuries such as smoke inhalation. Initially, it was reported that 6 people had died, but the fire authorities corrected the number to 5, stating that one death was counted twice.

There is a possibility that the number of casualties may increase after the fire is completely extinguished.

The fire authorities deployed 77 pieces of equipment including pump trucks, 190 personnel including firefighters, and fire helicopters, and managed to control the major flames by 3:18 PM, about 1 hour and 30 minutes after the fire broke out.

At around 1:50 PM on the 29th, a fire broke out in the soundproof tunnel section near Bukuiwang IC on the 2nd Gyeongin Expressway in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, with flames rising high. Photo by Yonhap News

Video footage from the time of the fire shows that hundreds of meters inside the soundproof tunnel were engulfed in flames, with black smoke billowing from both sides of the tunnel. The interior of the soundproof tunnel was completely engulfed in fire, and scenes of the tunnel ceiling melting and dripping were also captured.

As of 3:30 PM, the flames at the fire scene have significantly subsided. Smoke has not fully cleared and is still coming out of the tunnel.

The police and fire authorities plan to investigate the exact scale of the damage and the cause of the fire as soon as the flames are completely extinguished.