Hotel Fire‍ Suspect Arrested After Dispute Over Accommodation Costs

A 48-year-old man ⁢has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to a hotel in Cheongju, South Korea, ⁢resulting in the deaths of three guests.

According to the Chungbuk Cheongju Sangdang Police Station, the suspect, identified ‍as Mr. A, was taken into custody on charges of ⁤arson ​resulting in death.

The incident occurred ⁢on September‍ 21st at ⁤around ​1:30 ⁢AM, when Mr. ⁤A allegedly set fire to‍ insulation material on the first floor of the hotel in⁤ Namju-dong, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju.

Three guests were found dead in a third-floor guest room and a‌ second-floor hallway due to the fire. The victims and Mr. A were reportedly not acquainted.

Investigations revealed ​that Mr. A had been living in the hotel for over a year and had failed to pay the 270,000 won monthly rent. He was kicked out of ​the hotel, which led to the alleged arson.

Mr. A​ stated in a police investigation that he had returned to the hotel to collect his luggage but found ⁤the⁣ door locked. He claimed to have been angry and frustrated, as his clothes were wet from ⁢the rain and ⁤he had nowhere to go.

The⁢ fire caused significant damage‌ to the hotel, burning down the entire first floor and parts of the second and third ⁤floors. The estimated property damage is around 52​ million won,​ and the fire was extinguished⁣ within an hour.

Police arrested Mr. A three hours after the crime through ⁤CCTV analysis and ​investigative investigation. He will be sent to the prosecution after further investigation.