▲ Firefighters extinguish residual flames following a fire at a building in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, today (October 20). (Photo: Yonhap News)
A, who escaped from the fourth floor of the Hanyang Building in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, earlier today (October 20), stated that they fled after a sudden fire broke out near the office entrance.
While several people managed to escape by breaking windows, others remained trapped inside the office.
"Some people couldn't get out, so we used empty flowerpots from outside to break the windows," A recounted. "The fire was so intense that the flames reached the hallway ceiling."
Some individuals were injured by shattered glass during the hurried evacuation.
"A coworker was lacerated by glass and bleeding," A explained. "Many people were scratched, gouged, and severely hurt while rushing out, and some suffered serious injuries from the glass."
Blood stains from those who fled in a rush remained on the pathway leading from the back gate of the Hanyang Building to the main street.
A strong smell of burning still lingered around the building.
Mr. Lee, who works on the seventh floor of the building, said he saw rescued people coming outside and reported, "A middle-aged man was bleeding from injuries to his right instep and ankle."
B, who was inside the Hanyang Building, said they got up after hearing shouts of "Fire!" near the entrance, only to find black smoke filling the space in an instant.
"Smoke surged as if a battery had exploded in the pantry right next door," B added. "As I stood up to evacuate, black smoke spread in just a few seconds."
Blocked by dense smoke as they tried to head toward the entrance,
B eventually broke a window and got out, describing the tense situation: "After evacuating, I pounded on the doors to check if everyone had gotten out."
Mr. Kim, a seventh-floor worker, also mentioned that smoke entered the space, making him realize a fire had broken out, and he escaped after hearing instructions to evacuate.
Mr. Lee stated that about 13 to 14 people evacuated from the seventh floor alone.
A notice was posted on the Starbucks inside the building stating that it would be temporarily closed due to facility inspection and restoration work caused by the internal fire.
For the office-dense area of Yeoksam-dong during lunchtime, the scene transformed into a frantic evacuation zone as fires broke out at two buildings 200 meters apart with just a 7-minute interval.
At the Shinmyeong Building, which caught fire before the Hanyang Building, people leaned out of windows and shouted for rescue.
Mr. C, a man in his 50s who runs a telecom agency nearby, stated, "Smoke and soot billowed up first, and I realized there was a fire when women in the right-hand window cried out, 'Save me.'"
He said he saw about seven women being rescued via a ladder.
"From the opposite window, a man was shouting for help before breaking the glass and leaning his upper body halfway out," C recalled of the situation. "I was on edge, worried he might jump."
Mr. D, who works nearby, explained, "The fire was so big that the street was controlled and even bus passengers had to get off."
As emergency vehicles rushed in and caused traffic congestion, a nearby pizza restaurant employee used hand signals to help direct traffic.
After the fire was put out, a large amount of glass shards was scattered around the ground beneath the Shinmyeong Building.
Scorched black marks remained on the upper part of the building as well.
Fires were reported at around 11:54 AM today on the third floor of the Shinmyeong Building, and at around 12:01 PM on the fourth floor of the Hanyang Building, located about 200 meters away.
According to fire authorities, a total of 19 people were injured in the two fires, including one in cardiac arrest, five seriously injured, and 14 with minor injuries.
Firefighters completely extinguished the fire at the Shinmyeong Building at around 2:20 PM and at the Hanyang Building at around 12:35 PM.
Police are investigating the exact cause of the fires and their connection, focusing on the possibility of arson and tracking the movements of a male suspect in his 70s.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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