Mokdong Apartment Fire Extinguished After Approximately 12 Hours (Comprehensive Report 2)

Some Residents Isolated on Rooftop Rescued
17 Firefighters Sustain Minor Injuries

On the morning of the 19th, a fire broke out in the underground recycling collection area of an apartment complex in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, causing about 110 residents to evacuate. The fire was extinguished around 8 p.m., approximately 12 hours later.

According to the fire authorities, the fire started at 8:02 a.m. in a recycling collection bin on the second basement floor of a 23-story apartment building in Mokdong. The flames spread to the basement level 2 parking lot and the basement level 1 commercial area, prompting 113 residents to evacuate.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

During the evacuation, 42 residents inhaled smoke but were not transported to the hospital. As the firefighting efforts prolonged, a fire helicopter was deployed around 6 p.m. to rescue some residents who had evacuated to the rooftop.

The authorities issued a Level 1 response at 10:37 a.m., 2 hours and 35 minutes after the fire started, deploying all available personnel and equipment from the jurisdictional fire stations, including 349 firefighters and 93 vehicles. However, the sprinkler system installed where the fire began did not activate, and the intense heat and smoke made it difficult to access the fire scene, resulting in a prolonged firefighting operation.

At around 3 p.m., while firefighting was ongoing, an explosion occurred in the commercial area on the first floor above ground. It is presumed that the explosion was caused by the accumulation of smoke and heat and the resulting pressure difference. There was no gas leak. Due to the explosion, 17 firefighters and others involved in firefighting and rescue operations sustained minor injuries, and 11 of them were transported to the hospital.

The fire was fully extinguished at 7:44 p.m., 11 hours and 42 minutes after it started. A fire official stated, "The exact cause of the fire is under investigation," adding, "We also need to investigate why the sprinkler system did not operate."