Fire breaks out at construction site of luxury resort in Busan

A fire broke out in one of the buildings of a luxury resort under construction in the city of Busan, killing at least six people and injuring dozens.

Our Lee Soo-jin has the details.

A fire that broke out in a construction site of a luxury resort in Busan has left six people dead.

According to the Busan Metropolitan City Fire and Disaster Headquarters, the fire started at 10:51 AM near the swimming pool on the first floor of one of the hotel buildings under construction in Gijang County, on the eastern coast of Busan.

Construction began of the Banyan Tree Haeundae Busan, in 2022, with its opening scheduled for this year.

While the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency has launched an investigation into the exact cause of the fire, the blaze reportedly started among stacks of insulation material.

Around 20 minutes after ignition, the fire department had deployed all personnel from a fire station in its jurisdiction, as well as a helicopter.

At 12 PM, it raised its response to Level 2, which means the mobilization of up to 80 fire fighting units from 8 to 14 fire stations.

The fire not only left six people dead, all of whom were working at the construction site, but also 25 who sustained minor injuries.

"When we arrived at the scene, the fire was at its peak, and the six individuals were already unconscious by the time we began the rescue operation."

Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered relevant agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency to mobilize all available personnel and equipment.

He also stated that the safety of the firefighters was of the utmost importance, and that every effort should be made to ensure that no lives were lost during search and rescue operations.

Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.