"Sacred Sacrifice, Not in Vain..." Joint Funeral Ceremony for Fallen Firefighters in Pyeongtaek Construction Site Fire

Family and Fellow Firefighters, Over 200 Attend Final Farewell
"Rest in Peace in a World Without Heat" in Tears

On the afternoon of the 6th, a funeral hall for Fire Captain Lee Hyung-seok, who died in the line of duty at the Pyeongtaek new construction site fire in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, was set up at Jeil Funeral Hall. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Fire Lieutenant Lee Hyung-seok (50), Fire Sergeant Park Soo-dong (31), and Fire Corporal Jo Woo-chan (25) of the Songtan Fire Station 119 Rescue Team, who died in the line of duty while extinguishing a fire at a frozen warehouse construction site, bid their final farewells amid mourning from their families and colleagues.

At 9:30 a.m. on the 8th, a funeral service for Lieutenant Lee, Sergeant Park, and Corporal Jo was held at the Pyeongtaek Ichung Culture and Sports Center, officiated by the Governor of Gyeonggi Province. About 200 people, including bereaved families and firefighting colleagues, shed tears honoring the firefighters who devoted their lives to protecting public safety. President Moon Jae-in also attended the ceremony in person.

The funeral began with a moment of silence for the deceased, followed by a eulogy from Oh Byeong-kwon, Acting Governor of Gyeonggi Province and chairman of the funeral committee, and memorial tributes from fellow firefighters. Acting Governor Oh said, "My heart breaks again at the sacrifice of firefighters," adding, "We will do our utmost to ensure the safety of firefighters so that the noble sacrifice of these three will not be in vain."

Fire Corporal Chae Jun-young of Songtan Fire Station, a colleague, said in an interview, "Team Leader Lee Hyung-seok was always someone who quietly supported me, telling me 'You’re doing well'." He added, "I still feel like I hear his hearty voice and see him giving me a thumbs-up. But now, I can no longer see that." He continued, "Soo-dong was a truly kind and considerate younger brother. Whenever I asked questions with my limited knowledge, he always gave reliable answers as a steadfast friend. Newcomer Woo-chan was a lovable younger brother who sometimes said and did quirky things." He concluded, "Team Leader, Soo-dong, Woo-chan, now lay down all your burdens and rest peacefully in a world without heat."

Bereaved families and firefighting colleagues laid flowers before their portraits, mourning their final journey. After the funeral service, as the funeral procession slowly departed the venue, colleagues saluted in unison, sending off their comrade who gave his life for public safety without loneliness. The remains of the deceased will be interred at the National Daejeon National Cemetery this afternoon.

The deceased were dispatched to extinguish a fire at a frozen warehouse construction site in Cheongbuk-eup, Pyeongtaek, around 11:46 p.m. on the 5th, where they died in the line of duty. After the first extinguishing operation was completed, they were trapped when the flames flared up again inside the building during the suppression operation and ultimately could not escape.

Police investigations to determine the cause of the fire are progressing rapidly. The Southern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency’s investigation headquarters conducted a nine-hour search and seizure operation at 12 locations across six companies, including the construction company, supervision company, and subcontractors involved in the building where the fire occurred. Meanwhile, firefighting authorities conducted a building safety inspection and partially dismantled internal structures. A joint forensic investigation is expected to take place as early as the beginning of next week.

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