Fell from the Fifth Floor While Trying to Escape After Passing Baby to Safety
Fire Caused by Second-Floor Resident Attempting to Kill Insects
A fire broke out in a residential area of Osan, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in the death of one person. The deceased reportedly handed her two-month-old baby to a neighbor in the adjacent building before attempting to escape, but ultimately lost her life, drawing widespread sympathy.
On October 20, Yonhap News reported that at around 5:35 a.m. that day, a fire occurred on the second floor of a five-story mixed-use building in Gwol-dong, Osan, resulting in the death of a woman in her 30s, identified as A, a Chinese national. A, who lived on the fifth floor, became aware of the fire and immediately prioritized her baby’s safety.
A, who had given birth about two months earlier, held her baby and, together with her husband, opened a window to call for help. The adjacent building was less than one meter away from the burning structure. Upon hearing the couple’s cries for help, residents in the neighboring building quickly opened their window and prepared to assist with the rescue.
A and her husband first passed their baby through the window to the residents in the adjacent building, who safely received the child. A’s husband then managed to escape through the window into the neighboring building, leaving A alone in the room.
Afterward, A attempted to cross into the neighboring building through the window like her husband, but failed to make it all the way inside and fell. She sustained serious injuries and was immediately transported to Ajou University Hospital for treatment, but was pronounced dead at approximately 10:40 a.m., around five hours after the incident.
The police, who investigated the incident, believe that as the fire on the second floor produced large amounts of smoke and blocked the staircase, A and her husband chose to escape through the window. They also suspect that the couple made this decision because even a single breath of toxic gas from the fire could have been fatal for the baby.
A police official told the media, "We have not been able to obtain a statement about the evacuation process from the bereaved husband, as he just lost his wife and cannot be questioned at this time. However, it has been confirmed that A’s baby and husband both escaped to the neighboring building through the window."
The cause of the fire has been traced to a woman in her 20s, identified as B, who lived on the second floor. She reportedly used a lighter and spray pain relief to create a makeshift 'flamethrower' in an attempt to kill insects, which started the fire. The flames spread to the bed and nearby trash as B was trying to kill the insects. Although she initially attempted to extinguish the fire herself, she called emergency services when she was unable to control the blaze.
Firefighters who responded to the call managed to put out the fire in about 40 minutes. The incident resulted in the death of A and injuries to eight other residents, who suffered from smoke inhalation. The police plan to request an arrest warrant for B on charges including involuntary manslaughter.
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