Fire on 9th Floor of Gunpo Apartment... 50s Resident with Mobility Issues Dies (Comprehensive)

One Less Than Initial Count... 13 Injured
Police Investigate Exact Cause of Fire

On the 2nd, a fire broke out on the 9th floor of an apartment in Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in the death of one resident and injuries to 13 others. Initially, the number of fire-related deaths was reported as two, but it was later found that the fire authorities had mistaken a burnt object for a body, causing an error in the count. The police and fire authorities plan to investigate the specific circumstances and cause of the fire.

The fire occurred at around 7:15 a.m. on the 9th floor of a 15-story apartment located in Sanbon-dong, Gunpo City. A man in his 50s, Mr. A, who was in the apartment where the fire started, died, and his wife, Ms. B, also in her 50s, inhaled smoke and suffered severe respiratory distress. She was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Apartment where the fire occurred [Image source=Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters]

An 80-year-old female neighbor, Ms. C, also sustained serious injuries from smoke inhalation, and 12 residents from the 9th to 12th floors suffered various injuries and were taken to hospitals. Most of the injured residents are understood to be elderly, aged 60 or above.

There were three people inside the apartment where the fire broke out: Mr. A and his wife, along with their teenage granddaughter. Ms. B and the granddaughter were able to escape, but Mr. A, who had mobility difficulties, was unable to get out of the house. Mr. A’s son told 'Yonhap News' that "My father was usually in poor health and mostly bedridden, and recently had difficulty moving."

The fire authorities arrived at the scene five minutes after the report was received and began firefighting efforts. They deployed 47 pieces of equipment and 114 personnel, including firefighters, and extinguished the fire at around 8:26 a.m., about an hour after it started. The fire authorities also recovered Mr. A’s body from inside the apartment on the 9th floor where the fire occurred.

'Yonhap News' reported that the fire authorities stated during a briefing at the scene, "The apartment where the fire occurred is known to be a building without sprinklers," and that "At the time of construction, it was not required to install sprinklers." However, the apartment’s structure allowed smoke to be well ventilated, so the damage caused by the fire was relatively limited. The smoke did not enter other units but rose upwards, limiting the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, the police plan to investigate the specific circumstances of the accident. They will also conduct a joint on-site investigation with related agencies to determine the cause. It is also reported that they are considering sending Mr. A’s body to the National Forensic Service for an autopsy.

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