A man in his 20s inhales smoke in Dongducheon... Unable to find a hospital, he goes to Seoul after 3 hours

More than 10 Hospitals Notified Unable to Provide Treatment

A man in his 20s who inhaled a large amount of smoke in a fire at an apartment in Dongducheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, was unable to find a hospital and was transferred to Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul after three hours.

The above photo is not directly related to the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the fire authorities on the 28th, the fire broke out around 1:30 PM on the 7th floor of an apartment in Songnae-dong, Dongducheon-si. Firefighters who arrived at the scene found Mr. A collapsed inside the house and searched for a hospital.

The fire authorities requested transfer to more than 10 hospitals in northern Gyeonggi, Seoul’s Gangbuk-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Songpa-gu, and other areas, but all refused, citing inability to provide treatment. Around 2:37 PM, they received a response from one hospital that treatment was possible and headed there, but after 5 minutes, they were again notified that treatment was not possible.

Eventually, Mr. A was transferred to Hanyang University Hospital in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, after 4 PM and is currently receiving treatment. A fire official said, "The patient inhaled not just a small amount of smoke but a large quantity, and despite the serious condition, there was no hospital to transfer him to, so he lay at the scene for quite some time."

Meanwhile, the fire was completely extinguished at 1:52 PM, and 15 apartment residents evacuated. The fire authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.