Wildfires swept through Cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang Province, on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of at least three people.
"It was like a tornado of fire hitting the village," said Lee Myung-sik, 80, a resident of Songgang 2-ri, Pacheon-myeon.
“The mountain on both sides of the village was reddish like a sunset about 5:10 p.m.
Forest Fires Devastate Cheongsong County, South Korea
Tragedy strikes as wildfires claim lives and displace residents.
A house in Songgang 2-ri, Pacheon-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk, after the forest fire. An elderly woman died in a similar location, unable to escape the flames.
Wildfires swept through Cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang Province, on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of at least three people. One person remains missing. The rapid spread of the fire caught manny residents off guard, leading to harrowing escapes and tragic losses.
“It was like a tornado of fire hitting the village,” said Lee Myung-sik, 80, a resident of Songgang 2-ri, Pacheon-myeon. He recounted the events of the previous day, describing how quickly the fire engulfed the area. Songgang 2-ri,a mountain village located on the road from Jinsunji to Pacheon-myeon,was notably hard hit.
“The mountain on both sides of the village was reddish like a sunset about 5:10 p.m. the day before, and in about 10 minutes the flames spread to the house.”
Lee and his wife, Lee Tae-kyung, 75, were among the last to evacuate Songgang 2-ri as the fire intensified. The couple attempted to leave around 5:30 p.m., but found their access road blocked by flames.
“I tried to go out to the entrance of the village, but the flames were already spreading, and the back side was on fire,” Lee said.
Lee Myung-sik, 80, stands in a field near Songgang-ri, Pacheon-myeon, after fleeing the forest fire with his wife.
Finding themselves trapped, the couple sought refuge in a nearby field.
“I thought that the fields without a ride were safe, so I built the car in the field without moving,” Lee’s wife said. “The fire was bouncing around and the smoke was so nervous that I was anxious all the time.”
Tragically, not everyone was able to escape. Authorities reported that women in their 80s were found dead in the village, presumed to have been unable to evacuate in time.
The husband of one of the women, who had been evacuated to the Progressive Culture and Arts Center, recounted the horror: “I took my wife out of the house, but at that moment, I couldn’t evacuate because of the fire on my wife’s body.”
The chaotic evacuation process left the village in disarray. Kim Mo,79,another resident,described the intensity of the situation.
“It was hard to even stand the wind when the fire spreads,” Kim said. “I couldn’t even think about helping anyone because of the fire.”
A view of Songgang 2-ri Village, Pacheon-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk, after the devastating forest fire.
In addition to the fatalities in Songgang 2-ri,an 80-year-old man was found dead in Siyang 2-ri. Another individual in their 60s was discovered outside a road in Cheongsong-eup. A resident of Siyang 2-ri described the deceased as a recluse.
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Forest Fires Devastate Cheongsong County, South Korea
Tragedy strikes as wildfires claim lives and displace residents.
A house in Songgang 2-ri,Pacheon-myeon,Cheongsong-gun,Gyeongbuk,after the forest fire. An elderly woman died in a similar location, unable to escape the flames.
Wildfires swept through cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang Province, on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of at least three people. One person remains missing. The rapid spread of the fire caught manny residents off guard, leading to harrowing escapes and tragic losses.
“It was like a tornado of fire hitting the village,” said Lee Myung-sik, 80, a resident of Songgang 2-ri, Pacheon-myeon. He recounted the events of the previous day, describing how quickly the fire engulfed the area.Songgang 2-ri,a mountain village located on the road from Jinsunji to Pacheon-myeon,was notably hard hit.
“The mountain on both sides of the village was reddish like a sunset about 5:10 p.m. the day before, and in about 10 minutes the flames spread to the house.”
Lee and his wife, Lee Tae-kyung, 75, were among the last to evacuate Songgang 2-ri as the fire intensified. The couple attempted to leave around 5:30 p.m., but found their access road blocked by flames.
“I tried to go out to the entrance of the village, but the flames were already spreading, and the back side was on fire,” Lee said.
Lee Myung-sik, 80, stands in a field near Songgang-ri, Pacheon-myeon, after fleeing the forest fire with his wife.
Finding themselves trapped, the couple sought refuge in a nearby field.
“I thought that the fields without a ride were safe, so I built the car in the field without moving,” Lee’s wife said.”The fire was bouncing around and the smoke was so nervous that I was anxious all the time.”
Tragically, not everyone was able to escape. Authorities reported that women in their 80s were found dead in the village, presumed to have been unable to evacuate in time.
The husband of one of the women, who had been evacuated to the Progressive Culture and Arts Center, recounted the horror: “I took my wife out of the house, but at that moment, I couldn’t evacuate because of the fire on my wife’s body.”
The chaotic evacuation process left the village in disarray. Kim Mo,79,another resident,described the intensity of the situation.
“It was hard to even stand the wind when the fire spreads,” Kim said. “I couldn’t even think about helping anyone as of the fire.”
A view of Songgang 2-ri Village, Pacheon-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk, after the devastating forest fire.
In addition to the fatalities in Songgang 2-ri,an 80-year-old man was found dead in Siyang 2-ri.Another individual in their 60s was discovered outside a road in Cheongsong-eup. A resident of Siyang 2-ri described the deceased as a recluse.
