A major disaster was averted in subway fire. Materials, the operator and riders are to thank.

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A major disaster was averted in subway fire. Materials, the operator and riders are to thank.

Published: 02 Jun. 2025, 18:42

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Passengers evacuate through an underground tunnel after a fire broke out on a Seoul Metro Line No. 5 train on May 31. [YEONGDEUNGPO FIRE STATION]

A man set fire to a Seoul Subway Line 5 train on Saturday morning and forced the evacuation of more than 400 passengers through an underground tunnel. While the blaze caused panic, injuries remained limited to smoke inhalation and minor fractures, with no fatalities reported. About 20 people were injured during the evacuation. Authorities credited reinforced fire safety measures and swift action by the train operator and passengers for preventing a disaster on the scale of the tragic 2003 Daegu subway fire incident.

According to the Yeongdeungpo Police, the suspect, identified by his surname Won, used a torch-style lighter and flammable liquid to ignite a fire in the fourth car of a westbound train between Yeouinaru and Mapo stations at 8:43 a.m. Police apprehended the arsonist after spotting extensive burns on his hands. He later confessed, citing dissatisfaction with a divorce settlement as his motive. Investigators arrested him on Monday on charges of arson resulting in injury to passengers on a moving train.

A man surnamed Won, in his 60s, accused of setting fire to a moving subway train on Seoul Metro Line No. 5, appears at the Seoul Southern District Court in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on June 2 for a pretrial detention hearing. [NEWS1]

Fire-resistant materials used in the subway car significantly slowed the spread of flames.

Seoul Metro, the operator of the capital’s subway system, had upgraded train interiors to noncombustible materials like stainless steel following the deadly Daegu subway fire in 2003.

“Only trash caught fire because most of the train’s materials are now nonflammable,” said Kim Jin-cheol, a senior official with the Mapo Fire Station, during a press briefing on Saturday.

In contrast, the 2003 Daegu fire was exacerbated by flammable polyurethane seat cushions and insulation, which allowed flames to engulf an entire train within minutes, killing 192 people and injuring 151.

The 28-year veteran operator of the Line No. 5 train in Seoul who was operating the train at the time of the arson was also quick to respond correctly. As soon as he received a report from one of the passengers, he checked the CCTV and spotted smoke. He immediately stopped the train and rushed to the car on fire with a fire extinguisher. Passengers joined him in fighting the flames until the fire authorities arrived.

Despite inhaling a lot of smoke while fighting the flames, however, the operator — who wished to remain anonymous — still managed to drive the train to Aegogae Station, which has an evacuation tunnel. He was later treated at a nearby hospital for four hours and discharged the same day.

Passengers evacuate through an underground tunnel after a fire broke out on a Seoul Metro Line No. 5 train on May 31. [YONHAP]

Passengers also played a key role. Many used emergency door releases located under the seats to exit the train. Some helped fellow passengers, including older adults and women, assisting them with a roughly 1.5-meter (5-foot) jump down to the tracks before escaping through the tunnel.

Oh Chang-geun, 29, who first alerted emergency services, said, “We helped each other get off the train and guided people through the tunnel.”

Korea implemented major safety upgrades following the Daegu tragedy. All train cars are now equipped with emergency intercoms near both ends of each car. Pressing one triggers a direct line to the operator and switches the operator’s CCTV to the car in question — allowing the train operator to assess the situation rapidly.

“This was a case where upgraded materials, proper systems and a collective response by the public and crew made a critical difference,” said Chae Jin, a professor of fire safety at Mokwon University. “With more people resorting to arson out of personal grievances, we need to consider fire-response training even for everyday people.”

BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]