A man in his 70s, identified as A, who was found in cardiac arrest at an apartment fire scene in Nam District, Ulsan and later died, was confirmed to be a Vietnam War veteran, adding to the sorrow.
A had reportedly lived alone for about 20 years and showed symptoms of hoarding disorder. At the time of the fire, trash had piled up inside the home to an adult's height, and during the rescue A was found on top of the trash heap and was transported to a hospital but ultimately died.
A Vietnam War merit honoree, A had been making a living on a monthly veterans' honor allowance of about 450,000 won from the government, but could not escape the flames and died.
Neighbors, the management office, and administrative agencies are said to have made several attempts to clean A's home over the years as A stacked trash, discarded appliances, and clothes like a mountain. However, because forced intervention was not possible due to legal limits when the person refused, environmental improvements were not carried out.
This has led to criticism over a gap in institutional oversight for households suspected of hoarding disorder, including calls to establish grounds for active intervention by local governments.
Insufficient fire facilities were also cited as a factor that worsened the damage. When the apartment was completed in 1996, sprinkler installation was not legally required, and it has remained without additional fire safety upgrades to this day.