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Baby born during wildfire reunites with firefighters

Published: 11 Jul. 2025, 20:45

Left: A baby born on April 1 in a home in Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, is carried to a hospital by Lt. Kim Ha-won of the Sancheong Fire Station. Right: The baby reunites with Lt. Kim about 100 days later, on July 11. [SOUTH GYEONGSANG FIRE DEPARTMENT]

A baby born with the help of firefighters during a wildfire in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang, was reunited with the emergency crew on Friday to mark the 100th day since birth.

Sancheong Fire Station said the baby’s family visited the Danseong 119 Safety Center on Friday with rice cakes — a traditional gift for 100-day celebrations — to express their gratitude.

The firefighters immediately recognized the family as the mother and newborn they had assisted about 100 days earlier.

The baby was born around 3 a.m. on April 1 in a house in Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong. Although the main wildfire had been extinguished on March 30, authorities remained on high alert due to the risk of reignition. Fire crews were actively monitoring for residual embers when a radio message came through: “Baby born. Breathing and conscious. Mother breathing and conscious.”

The message, sent from a house near the wildfire command center, prompted an urgent response from the Danseong special rescue team, which was on wildfire patrol duty and a mountain rescue unit returning from another call.

Upon arrival, the rescue team found the mother holding her newborn, still attached by the umbilical cord. They quickly performed hypothermia prevention measures and stabilized the mother.

Following medical guidance, the firefighters tied off the umbilical cord and assisted the guardian in cutting it. They also performed uterine fundal massage to help deliver the placenta and then transported the mother and baby to a nearby obstetrics clinic.

“It was truly heartwarming to see the baby again, growing up healthy,” said one of the firefighters who responded to the scene. “We hope the child continues to grow strong and well.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]