8 Dead in Yeongdeok Wildfire... "27% of County Area Damaged"

924 Houses, 1 Bus, 2 Cars, and 7 Fishing Boats Burned
Damage to Fish Farms Continues

Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, announced on the 26th that 8 residents have died so far as a wildfire that started in Uiseong spread.

According to Yeongdeok-gun on that day, between the 25th and 26th, an elderly man and woman in their 80s were found dead in Maejung 1-ri, Yeongdeok-eup, and a woman in her 80s died in Chuksan-myeon.

Vehicle involved in wildfire fatalities. Photo by Yonhap News

In Daegok-ri, Chuksan-myeon, an elderly man in his 80s died, and in Seok-ri, Yeongdeok-eup, a 100-year-old woman passed away. In Maejung-ri, Yeongdeok-eup, three people?an 80-year-old woman and two men in their 80s?died when a car exploded in flames while a Silver Town staff member and residents were evacuating by car.

Eight people have been injured with burns or respiratory difficulties and are receiving treatment at hospitals.

According to Yeongdeok-gun, the wildfire spread to Jipum-myeon around 6 p.m. on the 25th, and riding on strong winds exceeding 25 meters per second, it spread to Yeongdeok-eup within 4 to 5 hours.

By 2 a.m. on the 26th, the wildfire had spread uncontrollably to the coast.

Wildfire Swept Through Yeongdeok. Yonhap News

Yeongdeok-gun has tentatively estimated that about 20,000 hectares, or 27% of the entire county area, have been damaged so far. A total of 924 houses, 1 bus, 2 passenger cars, and 7 fishing boats were burned, and damage to fish farms continued.

Water supply was cut off in parts of Dalsan-myeon and Jipum-myeon, and a power outage occurred throughout Yeongdeok from 9:06 p.m. on the 25th and was restored sequentially.

From around 10:20 p.m. on the 25th to 2 a.m. on the 26th, communication was also cut off throughout Yeongdeok. A total of 1,277 residents are staying in 14 shelters. During the day on the 26th, Yeongdeok-gun deployed 15 helicopters, 27 vehicles including fire trucks and water trucks, and 1,000 personnel to extinguish the fire. The county plans to investigate the damage and begin emergency restoration once the firefighting is complete.

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