A woman in a wheelchair suffered severe burns while using a lighter to open a food delivery package on Sunday, according to the Gwangju Fire Station. (123rf)
A woman in a wheelchair suffered severe burns while using a lighter to open a food delivery package on Sunday, according to the Gwangju Fire Station. (123rf)

A wheelchair-user in her 40s sustained third-degree burns after a fire broke out in her apartment in Gwangju while she was attempting to open a plastic food delivery package with a lighter, officials said Monday.

According to the Gwangju Fire Station, the incident occurred around 7:32 p.m. at an apartment in Ochi-dong, Buk-gu, on Sunday.

The woman reportedly had difficulty opening the tightly sealed packaging and is believed to have tried melting it with the lighter's open flame.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital with third-degree burns across his body.

The fire also damaged a bed, but it was extinguished within five minutes after firefighters arrived.

An investigation into the fire is ongoing.


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