A fire broke out on the morning of the 14th at the Banyan Tree Resort construction site in Busan's Gijang-gun. Six workers were transported to the hospital in a state of cardiac arrest, but all were pronounced dead.
According to the fire authorities, a report of a fire occurring at the Banyan Tree Resort construction site was received at 10:51 a.m. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 11 a.m. The fire authorities issued the first level of response at 11:10 a.m. and raised it to the second level at noon due to concerns of multiple casualties. The second level of response is an alert that mobilizes 51 to 80 units of equipment from 8 to 14 fire stations. The large blaze was brought under control around 1:34 p.m.
So far, there are 6 fatalities and 25 injuries from smoke inhalation, totaling 31 individuals affected. Immediately after the fire, over 100 people evacuated, and 14 individuals who escaped to the roof were rescued by fire helicopters.
The fire authorities suspect that the fire ignited from insulation material near the swimming pool on the first floor of the building under construction. Currently, a total of 352 personnel and 127 firefighting units, including three fire helicopters, are involved in the extinguishing and rescue operations.
Park Heung-mo, head of the rescue and emergency department at the Busan Gijang Fire Station, noted during a briefing at the scene in the afternoon, "When we arrived, thick black smoke filled the interior of the building." He continued, "The deceased were found in the same location where the fire broke out. There were many combustible materials at the entrance, making evacuation difficult."
Gijang-gun in Busan sent out a disaster safety text message to nearby residents urging, "Vehicles should detour around the building, and citizens inside the building must evacuate outside."
Choi Sang-mok, acting President and Minister of Strategy and Finance, directed, "Deploy all available personnel and equipment to extinguish the fire and ensure that there are no casualties, while also thoroughly ensuring the safety of the firefighters."
The resort where the fire occurred is the 'Banyan Tree Haeundae Busan,' which broke ground in April 2022 on a site of 41,280 square meters in the Osiria tourist complex in Gijang-gun, Busan. It is scheduled to open in May, and construction was reported to be in the final stages. The facility was being built with a total of 195 guest rooms, including 175 in the tower and 20 in the villa, along with features such as private pools. The construction companies involved are Samjeong Corporation and Samjeong E&C.
The operator, Banyan Tree Holdings, is a global corporation that operates 48 hotels and resorts and 64 hot springs in 22 countries, including Phuket, Thailand.