Main Guryong Village blaze contained after fire affects 77 households in Seoul
Firefighters contained the main blaze more than seven hours after it began. Officials reported no injuries or missing people, while shelter was arranged for affected residents.
Firefighters contained the main blaze at Guryong Village in Seoul’s Gangnam district on Tuesday, 27 October, more than seven hours after the fire began, according to Yonhap News Agency. Officials reported no injuries or missing people at the time of its update, while the Gangnam Ward office said 107 people from 77 households were affected.
The fire started at about 3:50 p.m. at a makeshift building, Yonhap reported. Thirty-nine residents fled to safety. The ward office arranged shelter at a nearby school and gymnasium for people affected by the fire.
How the Guryong Village fire response developed
Fire authorities declared a Level 1 emergency response at 3:59 p.m., raised it as the fire spread and later lowered it to Level 1, according to Yonhap. The agency reported that 232 personnel and 110 pieces of equipment were deployed to fight the blaze. Six firefighting helicopters were sent to help prevent it from spreading into a wildfire.
Earlier in the response, a fire official told Reuters that no injuries or casualties had been reported. The official said about 75 firefighters and 24 fire trucks and other vehicles had been deployed at that stage, according to the Reuters report republished by The Straits Times.
The Korea Herald reported that firefighters initially deployed 168 personnel and 51 vehicles and pieces of equipment, with personnel later rising to 210. Gangnam Ward sent emergency messages warning nearby residents about heavy smoke, urging them to close their windows and asking motorists to avoid the area. Police restricted access to the village entrance beside the Daemo Underpass to support the firefighting operation.
Residents affected and the cause of the fire
Authorities said the fire spread southward, with the first, second and third districts of Guryong Village suffering the most damage, Yonhap reported. The number of affected households reported by the ward office is broader than the 39 residents reported to have fled the fire; the two figures describe different measures of its impact.
The Korea Herald reported that President Lee Jae Myung instructed authorities to mobilize available resources, rescue residents and protect their safety, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.
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Sources and context
- (3rd LD) Main blaze of shantytown fire in southern Seoul contained; no casualties reportedYonhap News Agency
- Fire breaks out in deprived area of Seoul’s Gangnam districtReuters, republished by The Straits Times
- Fire breaks out at Gangnam’s Guryong VillageThe Korea Herald
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.