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Gas explosion in Pohang apartment kills 1, injures 17

Published: 02 Dec. 2024, 14:36 Updated: 02 Dec. 2024, 19:25

The ruined apartment that caught fire on Monday in Pohang, North Gyeongsang [NORTH GYEONGSANG FIRE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS]

A fire suspected to have been caused by a gas canister explosion caused 18 casualties in an apartment in Pohang, North Gyeongsang.

An explosion rang out at 11:33 a.m. on Monday at an apartment building in Duho-dong, starting a fire on the fourth floor. The fire, apparently due to a gas explosion, took the life of one person and burned two others.

A man in his 60s was found dead in the room where the fire started. His second son, 21, suffered third degree burns, while the first son, 24, was subjected to second degree burns.

An additional 15 people were treated for smoke inhalation and other injuries, according to fire authorities. One of them was reportedly heavily injured and sent to the hospital.

Fire authorities subdued the fire in about 80 minutes at 12:51 p.m., after dispatching 23 vehicles and 55 personnel to the scene.

Police said they received a report that the father was spraying oil and trying to blow up a gas canister before the accident.

“Both sons are too heavily injured for testimony as of now,” said the police.

Police and fire authorities are investigating the details of the circumstances and the full extent of the damage from the explosion.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]