"Smell of Burning" Firefighters Rushed In, Prevented Major Market Fire

Yeongwol Fire Station Firefighters Discover Fire After Early Morning Shift
Successful Initial Extinguishing of Arson at Restaurant in Yeongwol Seobu Market

A firefighter returning from a night shift smelled burning near the market and immediately rushed to the scene to carry out initial firefighting, preventing major damage.

According to Yeongwol Fire Station on the 3rd, a fire broke out at a restaurant inside the Seobu Market in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, around 1:11 a.m. At that time, Fire Sergeant Hwang Chang-ho, Fire Corporal Ji Hyung-bae, and Fire Corporal Jang Seok-hee of Yeongwol Fire Station were passing nearby after transporting a patient. A citizen who saw the firefighters asked them to search the area because of the smell of burning. The firefighters immediately stopped the ambulance and inspected the area, discovering a fire at a store inside the market. They quickly began extinguishing the fire with a nearby fire extinguisher and fortunately succeeded in initial firefighting, preventing the fire from spreading. No one was injured in the fire, but the restaurant stall and signboard were burned, causing property damage worth approximately 2.2 million won.

From the left, Fire Sergeant Hwang Chang-ho, Fire Corporal Ji Hyung-bae, Fire Corporal Jang Seok-hee
[Photo by Yeongwol Fire Station, Yonhap News]

Since it was early dawn, there were almost no people in the market, so without their quick response, the situation could have escalated into a major fire. Yeongwol Seobu Market is a representative traditional market located in the center of Yeongwol-gun, with as many as 180 stores. Nearby is the Yeongwol General Shopping Center, which was the setting for the movie "Radio Star." Fire Sergeant Hwang Chang-ho said, "Because it was a fire inside the market, it could have caused significant damage, so we acted quickly," adding, "We will continue to work hard to protect the lives and property of residents."

A fire caused by arson broke out in the early morning of the 3rd at a restaurant in the western market of Yeongwol, Gangwon Province.
[Photo by Yeongwol Fire Station, Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the fire was determined to have been caused by arson. Yeongwol Police Station arrested and is investigating a man in his 60s, identified as Mr. A, on suspicion of arson of a general building. Mr. A is suspected of setting fire to the restaurant stall with a lighter. The police, considering the possibility of arson, identified the suspect through nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) and urgently arrested Mr. A about an hour and 30 minutes after the fire broke out. The investigation revealed that Mr. A was intoxicated at the time of the arson. Police and fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire with Mr. A.