‘Nursing home move-in’ fire in Incheon residential-commercial building… 21 people transferred to hospital (comprehensive)
Yonhap News
A fire broke out in a residential-commercial building in Incheon where a nursing home was located, and 21 people, including elderly residents, inhaled smoke or were injured.
According to the Incheon Fire Department on the 11th, a fire broke out in the underground parking lot of a residential-commercial building in Sungui-dong, Michuhol-gu at around 6:28 p.m.
As a result of this fire, 21 people, including a resident in his 80s at a nursing home on the 4th floor, were taken to the hospital with complaints of smoke inhalation or heart disease.
Provided by Incheon Fire Department
In the parking lot on the first basement floor of the building where the fire first broke out, three vehicles were burned, but not all of them were electric vehicles.
Most of those transported to the hospital were over 65 years old, including a woman in her 90s.
Fire authorities said, “Initially, 43 people were rescued and 42 were transported to the hospital,” but 22 of them were ultimately confirmed to be nursing home residents who had been transferred to another hospital, not injured.
A fire official said, “Of the 21 people transported to the hospital, three were seriously injured,” and “the rest were all lightly injured.”
Provided by Incheon Fire Department
After the fire broke out that day, the interior of the building was filled with smoke, and 10 reports were made to the fire department.
The first witness reported to 119 that “the fire broke out on the first basement floor of the sauna,” but it was discovered that the sauna was located on the third floor, not the basement.
Incheon City and Michuhol-gu also sent safety information text messages, saying, “A fire broke out in the sauna building,” and “Vehicles should detour to the roads around the building.”
Considering that a fire broke out in a nursing home building, fire authorities issued a ‘response level 1’ alert at 6:56 p.m. on this day, requiring all personnel from the jurisdictional fire department to respond.
In addition, about 180 firefighters and 100 vehicles, including pump trucks, were deployed and the fire was completely extinguished at 9:32 p.m., three hours later.
It is reported that the place where the fire broke out is a residential-commercial complex with a shopping mall and apartments, and the shopping complex is home to about 20 places, including a supermarket and a billiards hall, as well as a nursing home.
Fire authorities plan to further investigate the cause of the fire with building officials.
A fire official said, “Mainly elderly people in nursing homes inhaled smoke,” and added, “We lifted the first response level after 10 p.m.”