227 Stores Burned Down By 9-Hour Long Fire In South Korea

A fierce blaze ravaged a large marine products market in Seocheon, a central county in South Korea, leading to the destruction of 227 shops. The fire — which blazed for approximately nine hours — fortunately did not result in any human casualties.

The fire broke out late at night, around 11:08 PM on Monday. The local firefighting teams, comprising 361 firefighters and equipped with 45 fire engines, battled the flames. Their concerted efforts brought the major flames under control in about two hours. However, it took until 7:55 AM the following morning to completely extinguish the fire.

The market, a hub of 292 shops, saw a devastating loss — with 227 stores being consumed by the fire. This included all 121 shops that specialized in marine products. In a stroke of fortune, the fire did not spread to the annex building, which housed stores displaying agricultural products, sparing them from destruction.

Officials reported no casualties, a piece of news that brought a sigh of relief amidst the tragedy. The reason behind this was that the market was empty when the fire erupted, preventing what could have been a catastrophic loss of life.

The challenge in combating the fire was exacerbated by the tightly packed structure of the traditional market, a common feature that often hinders firefighting efforts in such environments. Additionally, the task was made more difficult by strong gale winds blowing at the time, which fueled the fire further, according to the firefighters.

As a precautionary measure, local officials issued urgent notifications to the residents of the county, warning them of the potential dangers posed by a poisonous gas leak near the market. Residents were advised to evacuate to safer areas to avoid any health hazards.

Currently, fire authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire. They are also assessing the extent of the damage caused by this unfortunate incident. The local community, while relieved at the absence of human casualties, is grappling with the economic and emotional impact of this disaster.