A father in his 30s died Monday after jumping from the fourth floor of a high-rise apartment building in Seoul carrying his young child, in a desperate attempt to flee from a fire on Christmas Day.
He was one of two fatalities from the fire, which broke out at the apartment building in Banghak-dong, in Seoul's Dobong district. As of Monday afternoon, 30 suffered injuries.
According to local news reports, the 30-something-year-old victim, wife and two children aged 7 months and 2 years, were residents of a unit right above the third floor where the blaze started.
His wife also jumped with another child. She survived despite suffering life-threatening injuries. The two children were reported to be injured but in stable condition.
Another victim of the fire was a 38-year-old individual identified by the surname Lim, a resident of the 10th floor. Lim was discovered in full cardiac arrest on the stairs of the 11th floor. Fire authorities suspect that Lim succumbed to smoke inhalation while attempting to evacuate, according to news reports.
A man and a woman in their 70s, believed to be where the fire originated on the third floor, have been rescued. They managed to survive by jumping from the building.
Fire authorities said the fire was first reported at around 4:57 a.m. and swiftly escalated, spreading upstairs while many were still asleep in the early hours of Christmas Day. The main blaze was put under control by around 6:37 a.m.
The apartment building exhibited signs of the fire's impact, with soot covering the exterior up to the 17th floor and windows shattered from the second to fourth floors.
The fire and police departments are set to undertake a joint on-site investigation on Tuesday to ascertain the precise cause of the fire. The current assessment suggests that there are no suspicions of criminal activity, including arson.
President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed regret on Monday over the deaths and injuries that occurred.
"I pray for the repose of those who have passed away and extend my heartfelt condolences to the grieving families. Additionally, I hope for the swift recovery of those who were injured in this incident," Yoon said in a statement released on his official Facebook page.
