Fire at urban apartment in Jeonnam-Gwangju leaves guard in his 70s in cardiac arrest; police investigate suspected arson

[Financial News] A fire suspected to have been deliberately set broke out at an urban apartment building in Jeonnam-Gwangju. A security guard in his 70s who was searching for the unit where the fire started was found in cardiac arrest, and numerous residents were injured, resulting in significant casualties.
According to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Fire Headquarters and police, among others, a fire broke out at around 6:33 p.m. on the 11th in a sixth-floor unit of a 21-story apartment building in Unam-dong, Buk-gu, Jeonnam-Gwangju.
After receiving the report, fire authorities quickly dispatched 25 pieces of equipment, including fire engines, and 85 personnel to the scene to extinguish the fire and search for and rescue people. The fire was completely extinguished at around 7:03 p.m., 30 minutes after it broke out.
A, a security guard at the apartment building in his 70s, was found in cardiac arrest on the landing of the 13th floor and urgently taken to hospital by paramedics. A reportedly went up and down the stairs looking for the unit where the fire had broken out to find out where it was, shortly after the fire started, and lost consciousness after inhaling smoke.
Eight residents, including a mother and son who lived in the sixth-floor unit where the fire first broke out, also inhaled smoke and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment; two of them were classified as seriously injured. Fire authorities searched for people, focusing on the upper floors, and rescued 27 residents. Many others also evacuated on their own, amid ensuing confusion.
Police began an investigation, believing there were indications of arson based on statements from witnesses at the scene, among other evidence. After preserving the scene, police and fire authorities plan to conduct a joint inspection to determine the exact circumstances and cause of the fire.


[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter