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Two young sisters killed in apartment fire in Busan

Published: 25 Jun. 2025, 16:45

Firefighters and police in Busanjin District, Busan, conduct a joint inspection in an apartment at which a fire broke out, killing two children on June 24. [YONHAP]

Two young sisters died after a fire broke out early in the morning while their parents were away for work, according to police in Busan.

The younger sister, a seven-year-old girl, died on Tuesday, merely a day after the blaze broke out in their apartment in Busanjin District, Busan. She had been receiving emergency treatment at a university hospital but did not recover.

Her 10-year-old sister died at the scene of the fire on Tuesday. An autopsy revealed that she died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The family reportedly plans to proceed with the funeral for the younger daughter without an autopsy.

The fire began around 4:15 a.m. on Tuesday, about 15 minutes after the girls’ parents, both in their 40s, had left home to work as building cleaners. It is believed to have started in the living room, engulfing the apartment before being extinguished about 20 minutes later. The sisters were rescued and taken to the hospital, but both ultimately died.

Police and fire authorities conducted a joint inspection of the scene on Tuesday to determine the cause. A police official said, “It appears the fire originated from an electrical issue near a living room power strip, where multiple electronic devices, such as a computer, were plugged in.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM MIN-JU [[email protected]]