Name: Cause of major blaze in deprived area of Seoul to be investigated
Uploaded: 2026-01-16T14:36:54.751Z
Duration: 1 min 34 s
Description: A major fire broke out in a deprived area of the upmarket Gangnam district of Seoul early on Friday (January 16). The blaze was brought under control and fully extinguished about eight hours later, a fire official said with investigators now trying to determine how it started.

A major fire broke out in a deprived area of the upmarket Gangnam district of Seoul early on Friday (January 16). The blaze was brought under control and fully extinguished about eight hours later, a fire official said with investigators now trying to determine how it started.

Gangnam District

A major fire erupted in the early morning hours in Guyong village, a densely populated hillside slum located in Seoul's affluent Gangnam district. The blaze led to the evacuation of 258 residents, with over 300 firefighters and 100 vehicles deployed to control the situation. No casualties were reported, and the fire was fully extinguished by early afternoon, according to South Korea's National Fire Agency.

Guyong village is known for its makeshift, flammable housing and is currently undergoing redevelopment, though hundreds of households remain. Authorities have announced plans to investigate the cause of the fire and evaluate the extent of the damages.

Cause of major blaze in deprived area of Seoul to be investigated

Devastated residents watched their homes burn on Friday as a fire tore through a densely packed hillside slum in southern Seoul. The fire in Guyong village broke out around five in the morning on Friday, with residents waking to the blaze. I was asleep when a neighbour called saying there was a fire. I ran out and saw the flames already spreading. While no casualties were reported, 258 residents living in the affected areas were evacuated and over 300 firefighters and 100 vehicles were deployed to put out the blaze. It was fully extinguished by early afternoon, South Korea's National Fire Agency said. I've lived here for 30 years. A few years ago a flood swept everything away and now it feels like this fire will take away the rest. The village is a pocket of ramshackle housing in Gangnam, one of Seoul's wealthiest districts. The makeshift homes are often densely packed together and built with highly flammable materials. It is due to be redeveloped into high-rise residential buildings. Many residents have moved out for the redevelopment, but about 336 households remain, according to the city planning department. Authorities say they will conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire and the damages it caused.

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