SEOUL: Among the seven people who died in the Thursday (Aug 22) hotel fire in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, was a 28-year-old woman whose final moments have deeply resonated with the public.
The woman, surnamed Kim, made her last desperate phone call to her father at 7.42pm, just three minutes after the fire broke out, according to media outlet JoongAng Ilbo.
“Something terrible has happened. The smoke is so thick I can’t get out,” she said.
In a second call, just over five minutes later, she added: “I don’t think I can last another five minutes. Please throw away my belongings and live well for me.”
The tragedy occurred on the day of her father’s birthday.
Kim, known for her tireless work ethic, worked at a mobile phone store in the day and at a fast-food restaurant at night.
Her father described her as the family’s pillar, as she shouldered significant responsibilities when they faced financial hardship.
Kim was later found in the room’s bathroom, where she had tried to escape the flames.
The fire, which started on the eighth floor of the nine-story hotel at 7.39pm, quickly filled the building with smoke.
The absence of a sprinkler system is believed to have worsened the disaster.
All seven victims were Korean nationals. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Emergency responders faced significant challenges during the rescue efforts due to the 64-room hotel being dark and smoke-filled.
At the time of the fire, there were 69 people staying in the hotel, 29 of them foreign nationals.
But the exact number of guests present during the fire remains unconfirmed.
“Most guests we found had sought refuge in bathrooms to escape the smoke and were rescued from there,” one firefighter said.
A guest staying on the fifth floor recalled the initial chaos: "At first, the fire alarm went off and there was screaming, then I saw smoke.
"I realised immediately how serious the situation was and fled with my companions, without even gathering our belongings."
Four guests from Kazakhstan were also among those who escaped the blaze.
Three people who were injured are in serious condition and receiving hospital treatment.
Interior Minister Lee Sang-min visited the site the following morning, pledging full support for rescue efforts and emphasising the need for thorough firefighting and recovery operations.
He also called for a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The police launched an investigation into the fire on Aug 23.
The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency formed an 84-person team to determine the cause and investigate potential negligence in building management.
The investigation team also conducted a joint on-site inspection at the fire scene at 11am, together with firefighters and personnel from the National Forensic Service, it noted. - The Korea Herald/ANN
