'People Were Confused, This Could Be Deadly'... The Tense Moments of the Ulsan Fire

A large fire at a 33-story residential-commercial complex apartment in Nam-gu, Ulsan seemed to be under control, but at around 10:20 a.m. on the 9th, the fire spread again to the opposite side.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters reporters Hong Jeonghwan and Joo Cheolin] “There was a burning smell and people were running around in confusion. When I thought I was going to die and tried to jump, firefighters came in and saved me.”

At around 11:07 p.m. on the 8th, a large fire broke out at Samhwan Arnuvo, a 33-story residential-commercial complex apartment in Nam-gu, Ulsan.

Hundreds of residents evacuated with blankets, and 93 people inhaled smoke or were injured and were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

More than 15 hours have passed since the fire started, but the flames have not yet been completely extinguished.

Fortunately, there were no major casualties, but residents expressed frustration, saying that the emergency bell and announcement were delayed, preventing timely evacuation.

Resident A said, “If there had been a fire alarm or announcement, anyone would have evacuated early, but there was nothing like that.”

He added, “There was a burning smell and some confusion, and when I saw the flames and thought I was going to die and tried to jump, firefighters came in and saved me,” expressing gratitude to the firefighters.

The building houses 127 households and commercial stores. The fire spread throughout the building within about 30 minutes of ignition, driven by strong winds.

While air conditioner outdoor units are suspected as the cause of the fire, the exact cause has not been confirmed.

Resident B said that the burning smell was noticeable inside even before the fire spread to the exterior walls.

“They say the fire started outside, but before the flames rose, there was a smell inside and due to the smoke, we couldn’t go outside and evacuated to the rooftop and other places, then were rescued by firefighters.”

The fire authorities suspect that the building’s exterior cladding, made of aluminum composite panels, and the adhesive used in the panels may have contributed to the fire’s spread.

Meanwhile, the residential-commercial complex where the fire occurred has a total area of 31,210㎡, with 2 basement floors and 33 above-ground floors, completed in April 2009. It is understood to house a total of 146 households and 382 residents, including 19 officetel units.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.