Police have launched a manhunt for a suspect after two fires believed to have been set deliberately broke out in quick succession at buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul.
Fire authorities said a report of a major fire on the third floor of the Shinmyung Building in Yeoksam-dong came in at about 11:54 a.m. on the 20th. Firefighters issued a Level 1 response, mobilizing personnel from nearby fire stations, and deployed 56 units of equipment and 291 personnel to fight the blaze.
The fire was fully extinguished at about 2:20 p.m., roughly two and a half hours later, but two people were seriously injured and nine suffered minor injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals. One of the seriously injured was taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest and has since regained spontaneous breathing. About 60 people evacuated on their own.
About seven minutes later, at 12:01 p.m., a report came in of a fire on the fourth floor of the Hanyang Building, about 200 meters in a straight line from the Shinmyung Building. Three people were taken to hospitals with breathing difficulties from smoke inhalation, and five suffered minor injuries. Some of the victims were also reported to have been cut and bleeding from broken glass. That fire was fully extinguished about 30 minutes later, at around 12:35 p.m.
A police investigation found that the offices where each fire started were both patent firms. Fire authorities had initially said the two fires appeared to be unrelated, but later said the results of the fire investigation would be announced after police review them.
Police have identified a suspect in their 70s believed to have set the fires and are tracing their movements as part of the investigation.