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Fire breaks out in building near Sewoon Plaza

Published: 28 May. 2025, 16:21 Updated: 28 May. 2025, 18:37

Firefighters put out the fire that broke through an old building near Sewoon Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on May 28. [YONHAP]

A fire broke out at an old building near Sewoon Plaza in Sanlim-dong, Jung District, central Seoul on Wednesday, prompting road closures and a large-scale emergency response.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government issued a safety alert at 3:25 p.m., warning of “heavy smoke caused by a fire” in the area. The city advised drivers to avoid the area and asked nearby residents to limit outdoor activity.

The blaze originated from a single-story building that was not in use. The Seoul Fire Department issued a Level 1 response at 3:58 p.m., roughly 33 minutes after the fire was reported. As the flames threatened to spread to neighboring buildings, the alert was escalated to Level 2 at 4:37 p.m. Fire authorities deployed 171 personnel and 49 apparatuses to the scene.

As of 5:39 p.m., one injury had been reported — a man in his 70s who suffered mild smoke inhalation. He was transported to Hanyang University Hospital.

A fire broke through an old building near Sewoon Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on May 28. [YONHAP]

The building is located in a densely packed commercial area, making firefighting efforts difficult, authorities said. The site’s proximity to a main road has led to full traffic closures on the westbound lanes between Euljiro 4-ga and Euljiro 3-ga, worsening congestion in the area.

Ko Ki-dong, acting Minister of the Interior and Safety, ordered all relevant agencies — including the National Fire Agency, the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Jung District Office — to mobilize all available personnel and resources for fire suppression and rescue operations.

Ko also urged officials to “preemptively evacuate residents if necessary to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby areas” and to take utmost care to “avoid safety accidents involving firefighters.” He emphasized that police must “ensure full control around the fire site to maintain safety.”

Updated, May 28, 2025: Added details about firefighting response, conditions in the vicinity.

BY CHO MUN-GYU,KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]