Explosion Occurs After Report of "Gasoline Being Sprayed," Leaving 7 Casualties

[Anchor]

A fire, suspected to be arson, broke out at a villa in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, leaving one resident dead. The fire led to an explosion, injuring six people, including police officers and firefighters dispatched to the scene.

Reporter Bae Seong-jae has the details.

[Reporter]

Bright red flames and thick black smoke soar from a third-floor window of a villa.

At around 1:20 PM yesterday (September 25), a 112 emergency call was received from a villa in Deokgye-dong, Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, stating, "A drunken resident seems to be spraying gasoline."

As police officers dispatched to the scene were evacuating residents and checking the situation on the third floor where the report originated, a sudden explosion erupted along with flames.

[Lee Su-ho / Nearby resident: "I heard a loud bang and looked outside to see a huge fire. There was a strong smell of gas and a lot of smoke rising..."]

Firefighters immediately began extinguishment operations and rescued police officers and residents who had climbed to the rooftop to escape the flames.

Glass shattered by the impact of the explosion and debris from household items remain scattered around the building.

The third floor where the fire started and the fourth floor above it were completely charred.

The blaze was extinguished in two hours, but the explosion that occurred during the fire left six people with minor injuries, including four police officers, one firefighter, and one resident.

A man in his 60s was found dead inside the home, and signs of arson were detected.

[Chae Sang-soon / Initial reporter: "The man was coming back after buying gasoline. He went upstairs, and shortly after, the smell of gasoline became very strong."]

Police and fire authorities are focusing on the possibility of arson and are investigating the exact cause of the fire.

(Video by: Cho Chang-hyun, Video Editing by: Ahn Ye-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.