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Body found in apartment arson after stabbing nearby

Published: 07 Sep. 2025, 19:47

A fire is seen at an apartment in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on Sept. 7. [NATIONAL FIRE AGENCY]

A fire broke out at an apartment in Nowon District, northern Seoul, early Sunday, leaving one man dead and prompting the evacuation of dozens of residents.

The blaze started around 12:04 a.m. on the fifth floor of a 15-story apartment and was extinguished about an hour later at 1:01 a.m., according to police and fire authorities.

Roughly 80 residents were evacuated from the building. Firefighters later found a body inside the affected unit. Police believe the victim was the resident, but the body was badly damaged and the National Forensic Service is conducting DNA testing to confirm the identity.

Minutes before the fire, police received a report that a woman had been stabbed near the apartment complex. Investigators later determined that the man and the woman knew each other.

Police suspect the man stabbed the woman before setting fire to the apartment. She sustained a neck injury and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was discharged later Sunday morning.

Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire while considering attempted murder followed by arson as the most likely scenario.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]