Police Point to Electrical Cause in Fatal Hwaseong Massage Parlor Fire
Police said an electrical fault in the ceiling may have started a fire at a massage parlor in Hwaseong that killed one woman and injured two others, while investigators continue examining the precise cause and the business’s compliance with building rules.
Police in Hwaseong said an electrical problem is believed to have started a fire at a massage parlor that left one woman dead and two others injured, though investigators have not yet determined the precise ignition point or the detailed sequence that caused the blaze.
The Hwaseong Seobu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced its preliminary assessment on Thursday after conducting a joint inspection of the scene with fire authorities a day earlier. Investigators believe the flames began in the ceiling inside the business and were caused by an electrical factor. Officials cautioned that a final conclusion will depend on further analysis of evidence collected during the inspection.
The fire broke out at about 8 a.m. Wednesday at a massage business in Yanggam-myeon, Manse-gu, Hwaseong. Three women in their 50s were inside. One died, while the other two were injured. One of the injured women was rescued in cardiac arrest and taken to a hospital, where her pulse was restored. She remained unconscious on Thursday, the second day after the fire. The other woman escaped on her own and was receiving treatment for minor injuries.
Police said the three casualties were part-time employees who routinely ate and slept at the establishment. They are believed to have been asleep in separate rooms when the fire occurred. That detail is likely to be relevant as investigators reconstruct how the blaze spread and examine the circumstances in which the workers were staying at the premises.
Authorities are also reviewing whether the business complied with building regulations and whether any aspect of its operation was unlawful. Police said no indication of criminal involvement had been identified so far, but the broader investigation remains open while forensic work continues.
The body of the woman who died will be sent to the National Forensic Service for an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death. Police said they will continue investigating the fire’s origin and circumstances, including the specific electrical issue that may have triggered it.
The preliminary finding narrows the investigation toward an accidental electrical cause, but it does not amount to a final determination. The results of the scene analysis, autopsy and regulatory review will be needed before authorities can provide a definitive account of the fatal fire.