Roof Destroyed for Firefighting
Due to Lime Under Roof Tiles
A fire broke out at Songseokjeong, located in the Seongbuk-dong Byeolseo scenic site, on June 30, and firefighters battled the blaze for more than three hours.
At around 12:45 p.m. that day, fire authorities received a report of a fire of unknown origin at a hanok building in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, and were dispatched to the scene. Due to the fire, the pillars were severely burned and smoke was seen rising above the roof tiles, prompting the authorities to issue a Level 1 response.
The Cultural Heritage Administration and the fire department mobilized excavators and forklifts to carry out a "destructive extinguishing" operation. They determined that, because the area beneath the roof tiles at Songseokjeong is made of lime that does not allow water to penetrate, it was necessary to destroy the roof to extinguish the fire.
The fire is believed to have started at the right rear side of Songseokjeong. It burned approximately 60% of the furniture inside, including chairs and tables, while the remaining 40% was removed from the building. No casualties have been reported.
Songseokjeong is a wooden structure built in the 1950s. It is privately owned, but the Seoul Metropolitan Government is preparing to purchase it. As the entire Seongbuk-dong Byeolseo area has been designated as a scenic site, a comprehensive maintenance plan is being developed. Accordingly, Seoul City plans to work together with the Cultural Heritage Administration on restoration efforts, including allocating budget for the project.
Seongbuk-dong Byeolseo is a garden believed to have been created by Hwang Yunmyeong, a court eunuch and literary figure during the reign of King Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty. The term "byeolseo" refers to a retreat or resting house built in a scenic location for occasional stays. Few such sites remain today, and its academic value as a Joseon-era private garden led to its designation as a scenic site in 2020.
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