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Two dead after fire breaks out in Uiwang apartment building Thursday morning

Published: 30 Apr. 2026, 14:33 Updated: 30 Apr. 2026, 14:55

Fire breaks out in an apartment building in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, on April 30. [NEWS1]

Two people died after a fire broke out in an apartment building in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, on Thursday morning, fire authorities confirmed.

The fire started on a 14th-floor unit of the 20-story block. A man who lived in there fell from his unit to the ground for reasons that remain unclear. His wife was found dead inside the unit by paramedics conducting a rescue operation.

Authorities initially believed the man had fallen while evacuating, but the first emergency call received by fire authorities mentioned that “a fire had broken out on an upper floor of the apartment building and a person had fallen” — suggesting the fall may have occurred at the very start of the fire or just before it broke out.

A note seemingly left by the man was also found at the scene. It reportedly contained expressions of despair over personal circumstances, including financial difficulties.

The exact cause of both the fall and the fire remain under investigation.

Fire authorities put out a blaze that broke out at an apartment building in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, on April 30.[YONHAP]

Fire authorities deployed more than 20 apparatuses, including pump trucks and around 70 firefighters, at around 10:45 a.m. Uiwang had earlier sent an emergency disaster text message to nearby residents urging caution, at around 10:39 a.m.

The main blaze was brought under control at around 11:21 a.m. and fully extinguished at 12:35 p.m.

Eight residents were evacuated. Five other residents reportedly suffered minor injuries including smoke inhalation — two were taken to the hospital for treatment, while the remaining three did not require transport due to the minor nature of their injuries. Authorities said they are still checking for additional casualties.

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 CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]