70s Parent and Sibling Evacuated, Cardiac Arrest on Stairs
Another 30s Father Also Dies Saving Children
In the early hours of Christmas Day, two men in their 30s died in a fire at an apartment in Banghak-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul. It is reported that both lost their lives while trying to protect their families, which has deeply saddened those around them. Notably, one of them, Im Mo (37), was the first to report the fire to 119 emergency services.
Im, who lived on the 10th floor, quickly woke his family after calling 119. He evacuated his parents in their 70s and his younger brother first, escaping last from the apartment and heading toward the rooftop. However, Im was found in cardiac arrest on the stairs of the 11th floor before reaching the rooftop. Fire authorities suspect that Im’s cause of death was suffocation due to smoke inhalation. His mother and younger brother also inhaled smoke and are receiving treatment at a hospital, but their conditions are not critical.
On the early morning of Christmas Day, the 25th, a fire broke out in a high-rise apartment in Dobong-gu, Seoul, resulting in 2 deaths and 29 injuries. [Photo by Dobong Fire Station, Yonhap News]
That afternoon, at a hospital in Nowon-gu where Im’s funeral was arranged, only 4 to 5 family members were present without a portrait or memorial tablet. Im’s father, with a dazed expression, wept, saying, "Oh, my poor son. What can we do when this happens so suddenly?"
A relative tearfully said, "According to the father, the son (Im) woke the family and evacuated them, but because he was the last to leave, he inhaled more smoke and suffered. Losing such a precious son to a fire that started in the downstairs unit is so unfair. He is so distraught that he doesn’t even realize his own pain."
The other deceased, Park Mo (33), was found in cardiac arrest and transported to a hospital but ultimately passed away. Park and his wife lived on the 4th floor and escaped the fire by jumping while holding their 7-month-old and 2-year-old children, respectively. Upon realizing the fire, Park first evacuated his wife and 2-year-old daughter. His wife, Jeong (34), threw their eldest daughter down first into a recycling bag placed on the first floor of the apartment and then jumped after her. Park then jumped out the window holding their youngest daughter.
Jeong is being treated at a hospital for shoulder and back injuries, and the children were also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation but are in stable condition. Because Jeong and the children were taken to different hospitals, the family is still in disarray and has not yet set up Park’s funeral.
According to Dobong Fire Station, a fire was reported around 4:57 a.m. that day at a 23-story apartment building in Banghak-dong, starting on the 3rd floor. The flames spread to the upper floors. Fire authorities deployed 150 personnel and 40 pieces of equipment, extinguishing the fire around 6:37 a.m., about 1 hour and 40 minutes after the report. The fire resulted in 2 deaths and 29 injuries. Fire and police authorities plan to conduct a joint on-site investigation on the 26th to determine the extent of the damage and the exact cause of the fire.
The Dobong District Office established an integrated support center at the site to assist with accident recovery and manage displaced residents, setting up temporary housing facilities nearby. So far, 17 households have reported damage.
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