SEOUL, April 30 (Xinhua) -- One resident died after falling while evacuating from an apartment fire in Uiwang, South Korea, while two suffered minor injuries, Yonhap News reported Thursday.
The fire broke out at around 10:30 a.m. local time Thursday in a 20-story apartment building in Naeson-dong, Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, in South Korea. The identity of the deceased has not yet been confirmed, and officials warned that the number of casualties could rise as an internal search continues following the firefighting operation.
Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at 10:45 a.m. after receiving multiple witness reports, deploying around 20 fire engines and more than 70 firefighters. The main blaze was brought under control at about 11:21 a.m., with crews now conducting mop-up operations.
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. Authorities plan to investigate the extent of the damage and the cause of the fire once it is fully extinguished. ■
