A fire at the construction site of the National Museum of Contemporary Art’s new building near Seoul’s Gyeongbok Palace killed four workers on Monday.

More than 20 others were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choe Kwang-shik said that the fire is suspected to have started during the spraying of urethane coating on the third underground level. Choe said that the accident is unlikely to delay scheduled completion in 2013. The ministry also formed an emergency response team headed by the first vice minister.

Although the fire was brought under control at about 12:50 p.m., authorities continued the search for workers into the afternoon fearing that some may be trapped underground. 

The fire broke out at about 11:22 a.m. covering the palace and the surrounding area near Gwanghwamun in thick smoke and causing about 200 sightseers to evacuate the palace.

With the construction site located 50 meters from the main Joseon Dynasty palace, concerns arose that the blaze could spread to Gyeongbok Palace. However, no damage to the palace or other nearby cultural heritage sites was reported.

The museum is under construction as part of plans to establish the road leading from Seoul Station to Gwanghwamun as a “national symbol street.”

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)