A fire broke out on the 11th floor of a 15-story apartment building in Sangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, around 11:10 p.m. on the 18th and was extinguished after about an hour.
Approximately 170 residents evacuated due to the fire, and three people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Additionally, one firefighter was transported to the hospital with an ankle injury.
The fire resulted in two displaced persons, and the unit where the fire started was completely destroyed. The fire authorities estimated the property damage to be approximately 45.7 million won.
Fire authorities received a report that 'black smoke was coming from near the outdoor unit on the 11th-floor balcony' and dispatched 134 personnel and 32 pieces of equipment, completely extinguishing the fire around 12:13 a.m. on the 19th.
Police suspect that a man in his 40s, residing in the unit where the fire occurred, accidentally started the fire, and they took him in for questioning. He reportedly wandered nearby, making incoherent statements such as 'I set the fire' and 'My brother set the fire,' displaying signs of delirium.
Police have hospitalized this man for emergency treatment and plan to investigate him further and conduct a forensic examination at the scene to determine the cause of the fire.