12 Injured... 3 Seriously Injured, 9 Minor Injuries
A fire broke out at a hotel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in the deaths of seven guests and injuries to 12 others.
According to fire authorities and the police on the 22nd, at around 7:39 PM, a fire started in a room on the 8th floor of a 9-story hotel located in Jung-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, killing seven guests. Among the injured, three are in serious condition and nine have minor injuries; all 12 were transported to hospitals by 119 emergency medical services and are receiving treatment.
On the 23rd, the forensic investigation team is conducting an on-site inspection at the hotel fire scene in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. This fire started around 7:40 PM yesterday evening, resulting in 7 deaths and 12 injuries among guests and others. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
Authorities reported that casualties were found in the internal stairs and corridors on the 8th floor. The victims have been transferred to six medical institutions, including Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital. Although the fire that started in the 8th-floor room did not spread throughout the entire hotel, the interior of the building was filled with thick black smoke, which contributed to the high number of casualties.
The fire department issued a 'Level 2 Response' alert 18 minutes after the fire broke out, at 7:57 PM, and conducted firefighting operations while rescuing guests. About 70 vehicles, including command and pump trucks, and approximately 160 firefighters were deployed to the scene. Initial extinguishing was completed around 10:14 PM that day.
It is reported that about 23 people were staying at the hotel at the time of the fire. As the number of confirmed deaths is increasing during the search for victims, the police and fire authorities are continuing structural operations inside the hotel.
In a second on-site briefing, authorities stated that a third search for victims is currently underway, and a final, more thorough search will be conducted later.
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