Nearly 300 firefighters battle a massive blaze in Guryong Village, Seouls Gangnam shantytown, evacuating 47 residents with no casualties as smoke threatens nearby hills.
Nearly 300 firefighters tackled a fierce blaze ripping through Guryong Village, a rundown shantytown in Seouls posh Gangnam district, on Friday morning. The fire forced out 47 residents with no injuries reported so far, though thick smoke menaced nearby hills. Officials raised alerts to the second highest level as crews raced to contain the flames in the vulnerable slum.
Fire response efforts
The alarm sounded at 510 am local time, prompting 85 fire trucks to rush to the scene. Haze and dust grounded helicopters, forcing ground teams to battle towering black smoke billowing over the area. Safety Minister Yun Ho jung ordered full mobilisation of staff and gear to save lives and douse the inferno. Fire chiefs worried flames could leap to adjacent slopes, complicating containment.
Resident evacuation stories
About 110 people lived in the hit zone, with masked elders fleeing homes as sparks flew. Kim Ok im, 69, recounted waking to a neighbours warning, only to find fire already racing through shacks after three decades there. A prior flood wrecked much, and now flames threaten the rest, she lamented, voicing fears over housing if dwellings burn out. No deaths emerged despite the chaos.
Guryong village background
This Gangnam enclave stands as Seouls last big informal settlement, born when 1970s and 1980s public projects for Asian Games and Olympics displaced families to unpermitted plots. Ramshackle huts of vinyl, plywood and Styrofoam pack tight, spelling high fire risk per a 2023 department review. Redevelopment looms with high rises planned, thinning holdouts to 336 households from thousands.
Vulnerability factors
Flammable build ups and cramped layouts make Guryong a tinderbox, experts note. Most original dwellers cashed out for urban renewal deals, leaving poorer holdouts exposed. Friday strike hit one of Seouls starkest wealth gaps, pitting luxury towers against fragile shacks. Crews pressed on through Friday, aiming to shield the rest.
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