Apartment Fire in Changwon Kills Couple in Their 60s, Forces 130 Residents to Evacuate

A fire broke out at an apartment building in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, killing a couple in their 60s.

According to the Changwon Fire Department, the fire started on the third floor of a 16-story apartment building in Wolyeong-dong, Masanhappo-gu, at around 2:36 a.m. The blaze killed the couple and forced approximately 130 residents to evacuate. The couple was found in cardiac arrest during rescue operations on the third floor and was transported to a hospital but was later pronounced dead.

Fire authorities deployed 48 personnel and 18 pieces of equipment, extinguishing the fire at approximately 3:38 a.m., about one hour after it started. The fire burned 100 square meters inside the apartment, causing an estimated 55 million won ($40,000) in property damage.

Residents who evacuated to a nearby community service center and other locations returned home after the fire was fully extinguished.

The apartment building was constructed in the 1990s, when sprinkler installation was not mandatory for lower floors at the time of completion. Fire authorities suspect the fire was caused by electrical factors and plan to conduct a joint investigation with police to determine the exact cause.