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Two hospitalized, dozens evacuated after apartment fire in Songpa District

Published: 24 Dec. 2025, 12:37

Fire damage blackens an apartment in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 24. [YONHAP]

A fire at an apartment in Songpa District, southern Seoul, resulted in two residents being sent to the hospital and forced dozens of people to evacuate the building Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out at around 5:36 a.m. inside an apartment on the fifth floor of the Olympic Village Apartment in Bangi-dong, Songpa District, according to sources. Fire authorities deployed 137 personnel and 38 vehicles, and the fire was fully extinguished by 7:11 a.m. Police said they see little possibility that the blaze was caused by arson.

Firefighters discovered an unconscious man and a woman inside the apartment, and both were transported to the hospital for emergency treatment. Authorities also rescued one resident who inhaled smoke, while 35 others evacuated on their own.

"I woke up to urgent shouts next door," a resident of the apartment building said. "When I looked out the window, firefighters were already putting out the fire."

Another resident said thick smoke poured in as soon as they opened the front door.

“I evacuated immediately,” the resident said. “I know that the neighbors that were taken to the hospital are a married couple.”

Residents believe the fire started in the main bedroom. Many residents evacuated to an elderly community center inside the apartment complex.

Fire authorities plan to conduct a joint investigation with police to determine the exact cause of the fire.

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 RYU HYO-RIM, IM SOUNG-BIN [[email protected]]