A large fire broke out at the construction site of the Banyan Tree Hotel in Gijang-gun, Busan, resulting in 6 deaths and more than 10 casualties.
According to the Busan Fire Headquarters on the 14th, the fire is estimated to have started around 10:53 a.m. in insulation materials stored at the pool on the first floor of the building.
The fire authorities issued a Level 1 response around 11:10 a.m., deployed helicopters, and began firefighting efforts, then upgraded to Level 2 response after 12:30 p.m. So far, 6 people have died and 7 have been injured.
At the time of the fire, about 10 people were working inside the building, and about 100 workers were on site at a nearby construction area.
On the morning of the 14th, a fire broke out at the Banyan Tree Hotel construction site in Gijang-gun, Busan, with black smoke and flames rising. Photo by Busan Police Agency.
A worker at a nearby site said, “The alarm went off, so we evacuated to the first floor, but smoke and flames surged from the building, breaking the windows and spreading the fire inside and outside the building.”
Gijang-gun, Busan, sent an emergency safety notification instructing, “Vehicles should detour around the roads near the building, and citizens inside the building should evacuate outside.”
Choi Sang-mok, Acting President, ordered, “Mobilize all available personnel and equipment to do your best in extinguishing the fire,” and urged, “Ensure thorough search and rescue to prevent casualties, and fire personnel must also strictly prioritize safety.”
The Fire Headquarters completed initial extinguishing around 1:34 p.m. and is currently conducting mop-up, search, and rescue operations.
The Banyan Tree Hotel in Gijang-gun, Busan, with about 190 guest rooms, was undergoing final interior work ahead of its scheduled opening in May.
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