Fire Breaks Out at Apartment in Paju; One Firefighter Suffers Exhaustion, 21 Residents Evacuate

A fire broke out on the 11th floor of a 20-story apartment building in Wadong-dong, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, at 10:46 a.m. today (July 7) and was extinguished after approximately two and a half hours.

Eleven residents suffered from minor smoke inhalation, and one firefighter in his 20s was transported to a hospital after suffering from exhaustion during the firefighting efforts.

There were no occupants in the unit where the fire started, and 21 residents evacuated on their own.

The dispatched fire authorities issued a Level 1 response—an alert requiring 31 to 50 pieces of equipment from 3 to 7 fire stations—due to concerns over potential casualties and conducted firefighting operations.

The fire completely consumed the 11th-floor unit and spread to the 12th floor. Fire authorities mobilized 31 pieces of equipment and 90 personnel, successfully bringing the fire under control at 1:18 p.m. today.

Police and fire authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.

(Photo: Provided by reader, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.