Police have opened an investigation into suspected arson after two fires broke out within minutes of each other at buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul's Gangnam district.
Fire authorities said a report came in at about 11:54 a.m. on the 20th that a fire had started on the third floor of the Shinmyung Building in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam. One person went into cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital while receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Ten others were injured, and about 60 people inside the building evacuated on their own.
Just seven minutes later, at about 12:01 p.m., a fire broke out on the fourth floor of the nearby Hanyang Building, injuring eight people. Three of them showed severe breathing difficulties, while the remaining five suffered minor injuries.
The injured were taken to nearby medical facilities including Hanyang University Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital and Chung-Ang University Hospital.
Fires 7 Minutes Apart in Buildings 200 Meters Away, Both at Patent Law Firm Offices
The two buildings stand only about 200 meters apart in a straight line. Both locations where the fires broke out were confirmed to be patent law firm offices. Fire authorities also received a report saying someone had set the fire, adding weight to the possibility of arson.
Police are tracking the movements of a person suspected of involvement, treating arson as a possible cause. Whether the two fires are linked has not yet been confirmed.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response after receiving the reports. A total of 115 firefighters and 56 pieces of equipment were deployed to put out the fires.
The fire at the Hanyang Building was fully extinguished at about 12:35 p.m. At the Shinmyung Building, firefighters brought part of the blaze under control by about 1:12 p.m.
While battling the fires, police blocked vehicle traffic from the Woosung Apartment intersection on Yeoksam-ro to the Startup Street intersection.
'Black Smoke Rushed In Within Seconds' as People Broke Windows to Escape
Flames and smoke spread almost instantly at the scene, forcing people into a frantic evacuation. A witness to the Shinmyung Building fire said, "The fire that started on the third floor of the Shinmyung Building broke through the glass in an instant and spread to the upper floors."
A similar situation unfolded at the Hanyang Building. One person who was inside the building at the time said, "Smoke shot up from the kitchenette as if a battery had exploded, and when I tried to evacuate, black smoke rushed in within seconds." The person added, "I tried to head toward the entrance but there was too much smoke, so I broke a window and got out."
One person trapped inside was seen climbing out of a third-floor window and escaping using a ladder set up by firefighters. Another person broke a window with a golf club to check conditions outside before going back into the building.
Police Weigh Arson as They Probe Link Between Fires and Cause of Ignition
A fire official held a briefing near the scene and said, "So far the two fires have been found to be unrelated, but the final fire investigation results will be announced by police after their investigation." The official added, "We have confirmed that the fires started inside the buildings."
The official also said, "One of the two people seriously injured was taken to a hospital while receiving CPR. The other was taken to a burn specialist hospital after suffering severe burns to the face."
Police plan to determine how the fires started and whether the two incidents are connected. They will also investigate the condition of fire safety equipment, including whether sprinklers inside the buildings operated properly.