"Series of Explosions Followed by Flames… Residents Ran Out with Fire on Their Bodies"

"The sound of explosions was not just once. I heard four or five times in a row, and soon after, people with fire on their bodies came running out."

Residents recalled the moment of the suspected arson explosion in front of an apartment management office in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, this morning (the 23rd).

Injured people suffering from burns screamed as they escaped from in front of the management office, and residents rushed over with water and blankets to help with first aid, handling the chaotic scene.

The peaceful apartment complex was instantly engulfed in fear and tension.

The condition of the injured who emerged outside the management office immediately after the accident was gruesome.

Some of the injured suffering from burns all over their bodies had their burned clothes stuck to their bodies or melted from the heat, fusing with their skin.

A resident surnamed Park said, "I parked my car and sat down for a moment around 8:25 a.m. when flames suddenly shot up from the management office area," adding, "The sound of something bursting kept happening, not just once, and even while I was calling 119, the explosion sounds continued."

Park continued, "People with fire on their bodies came running out of the management office all at once," and "There seemed to be about five or six of them; their clothes were burning, and they came running out hurriedly while screaming."

Immediately after the explosion, the scene turned into chaos mixed with screams and calls for help.


Another resident said they woke up startled by the sudden explosion sound and screams.

This resident said, "While I was sleeping, I heard a loud 'bang' and people shouting," adding, "When I looked outside, people were running out, so I knew something big had happened."

It is reported that a meeting regarding apartment management rules was underway inside the management office where the accident occurred.

Some of the injured reportedly escaped outside while holding printed materials appearing to be A4-sized meeting documents in their hands.

Startled residents moved busily to help the injured.

The 119 rescue workers who were dispatched after receiving the report arrived at the scene in about 10 minutes to extinguish the fire and transport the injured to a burn-specialized hospital.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the accident while controlling the area around the management office.

The injured were identified as a total of 8 people, including 2 men and 6 women aged between 42 and 73.

They were investigated to be 2 management office employees, 1 resident, and 5 elderly people who were at the senior center attached to the management office.

Police are investigating the exact cause of the accident, including the possibility that flammable substances were used in the process of raising complaints at the management office.

A police official said, "A report that there was an argument at the management office has been received, and we are investigating the exact circumstances."

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