Nineteen Injured in Two Building Fires in Seoul’s Gangnam District

One person went into cardiac arrest and 18 others were injured after two fires broke out within minutes of each other at buildings in Seoul’s Gangnam district on Tuesday, prompting a large emergency response and the evacuation of dozens of people.

The first fire began at 11:54 a.m. on the third floor of a building in the southern Seoul district, according to fire authorities. Around 60 people evacuated from the property as emergency crews responded. One person was taken to hospital in cardiac arrest, while 10 other people were reported injured.

A second blaze was reported at 12:01 p.m. on the fourth floor of another building about 200 meters away. Eight people were injured in that incident. The close timing and proximity of the fires drew attention from emergency officials, but authorities cautioned against assuming that the two incidents were connected.

Fire services mobilized 115 firefighters to tackle the blazes after receiving a report that a person had started a fire. Police said investigators would examine the exact causes after firefighting operations were fully completed, including whether arson may have been involved.

A fire official said the incidents initially appeared to be unrelated. Police are expected to make the final determination after inspecting both sites, reviewing physical evidence and establishing how each fire began. Authorities had not announced a confirmed cause for either blaze at the time of the initial report.

The fires occurred in Yeoksam-dong, a busy commercial area of Gangnam. The first was reported at the Shinmyeong Building, while the second was reported at the nearby Hanyang Building. Local officials issued a disaster alert asking drivers near the scene to take alternative routes while emergency work continued.

Firefighters issued a first-stage response for the initial blaze shortly after receiving the call. Crews brought the main flames under control and continued clearing the site, while extinguishing work at the second building was completed.

The immediate priorities remained treatment of the injured, securing the two buildings and determining whether either site posed further risk. Officials had not released the identities of those hurt or detailed the conditions of the 18 other injured people. The investigation will also seek to clarify the sequence of events and whether the report alleging that someone started a fire is supported by evidence.