Older couple found dead after gas leak at home in Jecheon

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Published: 12 Jan. 2026, 17:02 Updated: 12 Jan. 2026, 18:27

An ambulance [JOONGANG ILBO]

A couple in their 70s was found dead after a suspected toxic gas leak at their home in Jecheon, North Chungcheong.

A report was made around 12:40 p.m. on Monday, which claimed that smoke was coming from a family home in Seobu-dong, Jecheon, according to Jecheon city officials and fire authorities.

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The caller had gone to check on their parents after failing to reach them and found smoke at their residence.

Emergency responders arrived to find the husband already dead. His wife was found unresponsive and transported to a hospital but later died.

Fire authorities said the home was filled with what is thought to be a toxic gas, although no signs of a fire were found.

Police and fire officials believe the couple died of suffocation due to toxic gas from the home's boiler room and are investigating the exact cause of the incident.

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 CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]