Ministry of Land Provides Emergency On-Site Support for Line 5 Subway Train Fire

Suspected Arson...
Train Service Resumes

On May 31, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport urgently dispatched the Director of Railroad Safety Policy, Railroad Safety Supervisors, investigators from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, and inspectors from the Korea Transportation Safety Authority to the scene to respond to the fire incident on Seoul Subway Line 5.

The Ministry announced that it had begun on-site investigation and support for accident recovery in connection with the fire that broke out at around 8:47 a.m. on a train passing between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station on Line 5. The cause of the fire is suspected to be arson.

At 8:47 a.m. on the 31st, a suspected arson fire broke out on the Seoul Subway Line 5 between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station, causing passengers to evacuate. Photo by Yonhap News and readers

According to the Ministry, immediately after the fire broke out, a passenger reported the incident to the train operator via the emergency intercom. The operator stopped the train and, together with passengers, attempted to extinguish the fire in its early stages. The remaining passengers evacuated. Some passengers inhaled smoke and received hospital treatment, but there were no fatalities. Upon receiving the report, Seoul Metro immediately established an on-site accident response headquarters led by the CEO and deployed an initial response team.

Operation of Line 5 trains resumed normal service at 9:50 a.m. The train involved in the incident sustained damage such as soot on the floor of the passenger cars and is currently under investigation.

The Ministry plans to use this incident as an opportunity to conduct a comprehensive review of emergency response manuals and safety systems in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and to supplement related measures. The government will also examine the management status of hazardous materials such as flammable substances and the overall fire response system in trains, and will fundamentally improve and enhance the railway safety management system by revising manuals, deploying additional safety personnel, and strengthening joint training.