Incheon market fire set by arsonist with 24 priors

A 48-year old man with 24 prior charges of arson as well as an attempted rape charge is being investigated by the police over Saturday night's fire that devastated Incheon's Hyundai Market.

According to Incheon Jungbu Police Station, the man is suspected of causing the fire that destroyed 55 shops in the market. The suspect initiated the fire by setting smaller fires at five locations inside and nearby the market at 11 p.m. on Saturday. No injuries have been reported as the market was closed at the time.

The suspect denied the charge in the investigation before seeing CCTV footage showing him at the closed market, citing that he had been under the influence.

“I still don’t know why I did it. Alcohol is all to blame,” the suspect said in the police investigation, admitting that it was him in the CCTV video clip.

Police found that the suspect has a history of being convicted for setting fires 24 times up until 2018, and spent a total of 10 years in prison for four counts of arson.

His first charge was after being laid off, when he ignited a trash heap in front of an apartment complex in Incheon in Dec. 2006.

He then developed a habit of setting fire to things, primarily in residential facilities such as apartment building hallways, as well as cars, being disgruntled due to economic difficulties and domestic problems.

The suspect was also convicted of attempted rape in 2003.

While in police custody, a review of his detention warrant was carried out at Incheon District Court on Tuesday afternoon.