"Fear of Suffocation" and "Ran Like in Train to Busan"... Eyewitness Accounts from Line 5 Fire Scene

"No Announcements During Evacuation," Witnesses Say
Swift Actions by Driver and Passengers Prevent Major Damage

Eyewitness accounts from passengers who were on board Seoul Subway Line 5 during the arson-induced fire are being posted on social networking services (SNS) and online communities.

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

On the 31st, several posts describing the urgent situation during the subway fire appeared on online communities and SNS.

One user of an online community posted an account titled "I just escaped from the Line 5 subway fire," saying, "I was sitting in the very front car when people from the rear cars came running, shouting, 'There's a fire!' Black smoke was pouring in from the back." This user added, "I was overwhelmed by the fear that I might suffocate. When the doors opened, I jumped onto the tracks and ran to the next station. I have to get to work, but I can't get a taxi," describing the situation at the time. Other users who saw the post responded with comments such as, "That must have been really scary," "You should go to the hospital first," and "I hope no one was hurt."

A firsthand account from a passenger on Seoul Subway Line 5, where a fire broke out due to arson, was posted on an online community. Screenshot from an online community

At the time of the incident, short posts describing the real-time situation were uploaded to X (formerly Twitter), including, "Line 5 is completely stopped right now," "I'm on Line 5 and they're saying there's a fire. I'm so scared," and "The train isn't moving." Another citizen wrote on X, "I've always seen the emergency door release device on the subway, but when the smoke started, I panicked and couldn't think of anything," adding, "My heart is still pounding."

Another citizen told Yonhap News, "It was chaos, with dozens of people screaming and running, just like in the movie 'Train to Busan.' There were desperate shouts everywhere, like 'Should we break the window?' and 'We need to get out!' Eventually, the train doors managed to open. There wasn't any special announcement; all the doors just opened as they normally do when the train stops at a station." He added, "I don't think I'll be able to take the subway for a while," expressing his relief.

A man who said he pulled the emergency lever himself to open the door at the scene told Yonhap News, "I was in the very front car, and not long after leaving Yeouinaru Station, people started running and shouting from the back. At first, I was startled and thought it might be a stabbing incident, but then people were banging on the driver's door, saying there was a fire." He continued, "There had been a burning smell for a while, and after 1 or 2 minutes, smoke started pouring in along the ceiling. It didn't completely fill the car, though. Even after the train stopped, there was no announcement, and people were shouting, so it was chaotic. We opened the doors and jumped onto the tracks, and all the passengers ran to Mapo Station. There were no staff guiding us during this process."

At around 8:45 a.m. on the 31st, a fire caused by arson broke out inside a subway train between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station on Seoul Subway Line 5. Immediately after the fire started, the train driver and some passengers managed to put it out with fire extinguishers, fortunately preventing major damage. About 400 passengers evacuated through the tunnel, and 21 of them were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and ankle fractures.

At around 9:45 a.m., police arrested a man in his 60s near Yeouinaru Station as a suspect in the arson. The man was being carried out on a stretcher via the subway tracks when police noticed his hands were covered in soot and questioned him, at which point he reportedly confessed to the crime. Due to the fire, trains temporarily passed through Mapo Station and Yeouinaru Station without stopping, and service between Yeouido Station and Aeogae Station was suspended, but resumed at 10:06 a.m.