A fire scene at a one-room building in Sangbong-dong, Jinju-si, Gyeongnam. Provided by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters
The death toll from the fire at a multi-family residence in Jinju, Gyeongnam, has increased to two after a man in his 30s, who had suffered severe injuries, ultimately passed away on November 22.
According to fire authorities, the fire broke out at 4:52 a.m. on the second floor of a four-story one-room villa in Sangbong-dong, Jinju-si.
Eight residents were evacuated in an emergency due to the fire. Among them, a man in his 20s and a man in his 30s, both residents of the second floor, were found in cardiac arrest, and a man in his 50s was transported to the hospital after inhaling smoke.
Of the two found in cardiac arrest, the man in his 20s died, and the man in his 30s, who was in critical condition, also eventually passed away.
Approximately 56 square meters of the building's second floor were destroyed or damaged by smoke, resulting in an estimated property loss of about 25 million won, according to the fire department.
The two deceased individuals were reportedly colleagues who lived together on the second floor of the building.
Upon receiving a report from a nearby resident, the fire authorities dispatched 61 firefighters and 14 pieces of firefighting equipment, extinguishing the fire completely by 5:38 a.m. that day.
The fire authorities and police believe the fire started in a small room occupied by the man in his 30s. They are conducting a joint on-site investigation and interviewing residents to determine the exact cause of the fire.
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