Bus Fire in Maseong Tunnel in Yongin: 65 Evacuated, 38 Injured (Comprehensive)

At 9:17 p.m. on September 16, a fire broke out on a bus traveling through the Maseong Tunnel on the Yeongdong Expressway in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, heading toward Gangneung.

As a result of this incident, 65 people-including the bus driver, 34 passengers, and 31 drivers and passengers from nearby vehicles-were evacuated in an emergency. Among them, 5 sustained serious injuries and 33 suffered minor injuries. Of the injured, 16 were transported to hospitals, while 17 received treatment at the scene.

The fire authorities issued a Level 1 response nine minutes after the fire broke out, at 9:26 p.m., and then raised it to Level 2 at 9:44 p.m. to intensify firefighting efforts. A total of 72 firefighters and 24 pieces of equipment were deployed, and the blaze was brought under control by 10:25 p.m.

The police and fire authorities are currently investigating the exact cause of the fire. The fire department stated that the number of injured may change as treatment is still ongoing.