Van Carrying 12 Alumni Catches Fire on Highway... No Casualties Reported

A van charred black by fire is parked on the shoulder near Daedong Junction on the Jungang Expressway in Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

On the 21st at around 7:16 PM, a fire broke out in a 15-passenger van parked on the shoulder near the Daedong Junction on the Jungang Expressway in Gimhae, Gyeongnam.

According to the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters on the 22nd, the vehicle was carrying 12 people who were returning to Busan after visiting Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk for a school reunion.

The group evacuated to the shoulder just before the fire started, so there were no casualties.

The passengers stated that the vehicle suddenly showed signs of malfunction, so they stopped on the shoulder, and shortly after, smoke began to rise from the hood, followed by a fire.

The fire was completely extinguished by firefighters dispatched to the scene around 7:30 PM, but traffic on the nearby expressway was congested for about 40 minutes.

The police and fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire through passenger statements and vehicle inspection.

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