Police investigate suspected arson after fires at two Yeoksam-dong buildings; track man in his 70s (Update)

[Financial News] After fires broke out one after another at two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, injuring 19 people, police identified suspected arson and launched an investigation. Police have reportedly identified a man in his 70s as a suspect and are tracking his whereabouts.
On the 20th, Seoul’s Suseo Police Station said, “We are investigating the Yeoksam-dong fires reported between 11:55 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. today on the assumption that arson may be involved.”
Police are reportedly investigating, including by tracking the movements of a man in his 70s whom they consider a suspect.
According to the fire authorities, a fire broke out on the third floor of Shinmyeong Building in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, at around 11:54 a.m. on the 20th. About seven minutes later, at 12:01 p.m., another fire broke out on the fourth floor of Hanyang Building, about 200 meters away as the crow flies. Both buildings were confirmed to house offices of patent law firms.
A total of 19 people were injured in the fires: 2 seriously and 17 with minor injuries.
Eleven people were injured at Shinmyeong Building, where the first fire broke out. One of them, a woman in her 30s, was found in cardiac arrest and taken to a hospital while receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); she has since been confirmed to have regained spontaneous circulation. Another person who was seriously injured suffered severe burns to the face and was taken to a specialist burn hospital. About 60 people in the building evacuated on their own.
Eight people were also injured at nearby Hanyang Building and taken to a hospital. Three of them showed severe symptoms of respiratory distress, while the other five sustained minor injuries.
Fire authorities responded to a report that “someone had set a fire” and issued a Level 1 response at around 12:04 p.m. A total of 225 firefighters and 56 pieces of equipment were deployed to fight the fires.
The fire at Hanyang Building was completely extinguished at around 12:35 p.m. The main flames at Shinmyeong Building were brought under control at around 1:12 p.m., and crews continued to deal with remaining hot spots.
A person inside one of the buildings at the time of the fire was also seen climbing out of a third-floor window and escaping using a ladder installed by firefighters. Another person reportedly broke a window with a golf club, looked outside to assess the situation, and then went back inside.
A fire official said at an on-site briefing, “So far, no connection between the two fires has been established,” adding, “The final cause of the fires is expected to be announced after the police investigation.”
Meanwhile, police have identified a man in his 70s as a suspected arsonist in connection with the fires and have begun tracking him.
[email protected] Lee Dong-hyeok Reporter