SEOUL, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Two people have died in an apartment fire in Uiwang, South Korea, while six suffered minor injuries, Yonhap News reported Thursday.
The authorities have confirmed that a man in his 60s who lived in the unit on the 14th floor, where the fire is believed to have started, was found dead after falling from the building. His wife was later discovered dead inside the same unit.
The deceased man was initially believed to have fallen while evacuating, but based on an early emergency call reporting both a fire in the upper floors and a person falling, authorities suspect the fall may have occurred at or before the early stage of the fire. A note believed to be left by the man has been found at the scene, reportedly containing references to personal hardships, including financial difficulties.
Six other residents suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, and are currently receiving treatment. And 11 people evacuated safely.
The fire broke out at around 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at 10:45 a.m., deploying about 30 fire engines and more than 110 firefighters. The main blaze was brought under control at 11:21 a.m., the emergency response was lifted at 12:26 p.m., and the fire was fully extinguished at 12:35 p.m., roughly two hours after it began.
According to Yonhap, the affected apartment building has 20 floors above ground and one basement level, with a total floor area of about 8,800 square meters and 78 households. ■
