A tragic fire at a hotel in South Korea has claimed the lives of seven individuals, with at least 12 others currently receiving treatment for fire-related injuries. The incident occurred at a nine-story property located in Bucheon, a city just west of the capital, Seoul.
Fire officials have indicated that the absence of sprinklers may have exacerbated the situation, as the fire started in an unoccupied room on the 8th floor. Despite not spreading extensively, the lack of sprinklers allowed toxic smoke to quickly fill the upper floors, leading to the majority of the victims being discovered on the eighth and ninth floors.
The hotel, constructed in 2003, was not required to have a sprinkler system in place due to regulations at the time of its construction. While South Korea implemented a mandate for sprinklers in buildings with more than six floors in 2017, this requirement was not retroactively applied to older structures, except for specific facilities like medical centers and nursing homes.
Upon arrival at the scene, fire officials encountered smoke-filled floors and windows, with the fire believed to have originated in an unoccupied room following a guest's complaint about a burning smell. An investigative team comprising fire officials, forensic experts, and police has commenced on-site inspections to determine the cause of the blaze.
Chief Cho Seon-ho of the Gyeonggi provincial fire services has indicated that the fire is likely attributed to electrical issues, as authorities work to piece together the sequence of events that led to this tragic incident.
