60 Houses Destroyed... Damage Loss Area 2700㎡
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] The fire that broke out in the Guryeong Village area of Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was completely extinguished after about 5 hours and 20 minutes. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The Gangnam Fire Department in Seoul announced in a final briefing at 12:00 PM on the 20th, "We declared the fire completely extinguished at 11:46 AM."
According to the fire authorities, the fire started around 6:27 AM in District 4 of Guryeong Village and spread to the surrounding area. At 7:01 AM, a report was received that the fire had spread to the entrance of District 5.
The authorities issued a Level 2 response at 7:26 AM and deployed a total of about 900 personnel, including police, firefighters, and staff from Gangnam District Office. At 9:16 AM, as the fire's spread decreased, the response was downgraded to Level 1.
The authorities lifted the Level 1 response at 10:10 AM and completed the mop-up operations about an hour and 30 minutes later. The firefighters made every effort to prevent the flames from spreading vertically in District 4 during the extinguishing process.
About 500 residents evacuated due to the fire, and 60 households were destroyed. The estimated damaged area is 2,700㎡. The fire authorities currently believe the fire spread due to combustible plywood.
However, the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. A fire official stated, "The cause of the fire will need to be continuously investigated," and added, "A joint investigation with the police is planned."
Meanwhile, the displaced residents plan to temporarily stay at four hotels located in Gangnam-gu.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
