At least six people died and 25 were injured after a fire broke out at a hotel construction site in Busan on Friday, according to the National Fire Agency.
The fire agency stated that the Busan Fire Headquarters first received a fire report at the Banyan Tree Hotel construction site in Gijang-gun at around 10:51 a.m.
Authorities arrived at the site nine minutes later and rescued those trapped on the building's 12th floor using helicopters. Six were found in a state of cardiac arrest and their deaths were confirmed at 1:44 p.m.
Twenty-five were declared to have suffered minor injuries due to smoke inhalation while 14 others were rescued from the roof. More than 100 of the construction workers inside the building evacuated.
With most of the fire extinguished by 1:34 p.m., firefighting officials began to search the building's interior. Fire officials added that the police and local government officials still had to “determine the exact number of workers who were inside (the construction site).”
The Busan Fire Headquarters also issued a level two emergency response alert out of its three-tier system, requiring most personnel from eight to 14 nearby fire stations to respond to the scene. According to the National Fire Agency, 124 fire trucks, 352 firefighters as well as three fire helicopters were deployed to the site to extinguish the fire and conduct search operations.
Though the exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined, authorities presume insulating material loaded near a swimming pool on the building’s first floor was a factor.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Interior and Safety dispatched an on-site situation manager to the scene at noon.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered the mobilization of all available personnel and equipment to assist in firefighting efforts. He called for “thorough search and rescue efforts to prevent any loss of life,” while also ensuring the safety of firefighting personnel.
At 2 p.m., the Interior Ministry led a situation assessment meeting with related governmental agencies.
During the meeting, General Director for Disaster and Safety Management Yi Han-kyung urged the National Fire Agency to focus on fire suppression and to conduct on-site search and rescue operations while also instructing the Korean National Police Agency to ensure strict safety control around the site of the accident.
Yi requested the Busan Metropolitan Government activate its disaster safety headquarters to provide immediate assistance to the firefighting officials’ search and rescue efforts, while also directing the Ministry of Employment and Labor to help oversee the process of determining the cause of the incident.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
