A woman in her 30s died while escaping a fire started by a neighbour, falling from a window after getting her infant child to safety.
According to the Osan Police Station, the fire broke out on Monday at a residential building in Osan, Gyeonggi province, at around 5.35am local time.
It was sparked by a resident, who tried to kill a cockroach using a lighter and aerosol spray. The fire quickly got out of control.
During evacuation, a couple and their two-month-old child living on the fifth floor, tried to escape into the building that was less than 1m apart from theirs.
After handing the baby through a window to people in the next building, the husband followed, but the wife fell and sustained critical injuries. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, but was pronounced dead yesterday at around 10.40am local time.
No other deaths were reported, but eight people were treated for smoke inhalation.
Officials will request an arrest warrant for the resident who started the fire, on charges of fire caused by gross negligence and death by negligence. — The Korea Herald/ANN
