A fire erupted at a seven-story building in Seoul’s Jung-gu district on Saturday evening, leaving two people critically injured and eight others with minor injuries, according to fire department officials.
The blaze broke out at approximately 6:10 p.m. Local time on the third floor of the building located in Sogong-dong, a central district of the South Korean capital. Authorities confirmed the affected floor housed a guesthouse.
As of 9:35 p.m., the fire was fully extinguished after a response involving 110 firefighters and 31 pieces of equipment, officials stated. Nine of the ten injured individuals are foreign nationals, according to reports.
The building, which spans from the basement to the seventh floor, operates capsule hotel facilities on the third, sixth and seventh floors. A total of 66 guests had reservations for the third floor on Saturday, with 45 having already checked in at the time of the fire.
Firefighters continued a thorough search of the building following the extinguishing of the flames to ensure no further individuals remained inside. A joint investigation between the fire department and police is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has directed city officials to prioritize on-site recovery efforts and provide comprehensive support to the victims, particularly foreign tourists. According to a statement released by the city, Mayor Oh instructed officials to ensure temporary housing and medical assistance are readily available.
The city has established a temporary shelter at the Sogong Community Center and is securing rooms at nearby hotels – including 10 rooms at the Bayton Hotel, 5 at the Solarbo Hotel, and 2 at the Crown Park Hotel – to provide temporary accommodation for those displaced by the fire. The city is also prepared to facilitate immediate medical transport for the injured and provide additional support as needed.
