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Man reportedly starts fire at building in Osan after attempting to kill bug with lighter

Published: 20 Oct. 2025, 11:37

An image of the emblem of the Korean National Police Agency. [SCREEN CAPUTRE]

A man in his 20s reportedly started a fire while attempting to kill a bug using a lighter in a commercial-residential building in Osan, Gyeonggi. Nine have been injured as a result.

The blaze broke out around 5:35 a.m. Monday on the second floor of a five-story building in Gwol-dong, Osan, according to fire authorities on Monday.

Firefighters dispatched to the scene issued a Level 1 emergency response out of concern for possible casualties and managed to extinguish the flames by 6:20 a.m., roughly 40 minutes after the fire started.

A woman in her 30s who lived on the fifth floor was seriously injured after falling from the building while trying to evacuate. She was taken to hospital in a disoriented state.

Eight other residents were also taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, though none sustained life-threatening injuries. Fourteen others managed to evacuate the building on their own.

Police apprehended the man and are investigating him on suspicion of arson through negligence.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]