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Man arrested in Changwon for setting reed field ablaze 'because he was cold'

Published: 02 Feb. 2026, 21:22

A field of reeds is set on fire near Susan Bridge in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on Feb. 2, 2026. [CHANGWON FIRE HEADQUARTERS]

A man in his 50s has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to reeds in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, because he "was cold."

The man was taken into emergency custody at around 4:04 p.m. on Monday on charges of arson involving general property, according to Changwon Seobu Police Precinct. The man allegedly used a lighter to ignite a reed field near the Susan Bridge in Uichang District, Changwon, at around 12:40 p.m.

Police tracked the man’s movements through an analysis of nearby closed-circuit television footage and arrested him. During questioning, the man admitted to the act, saying, “It was so cold that I lit a fire."

The fire spread rapidly through the dry reeds, growing into a large blaze. Fire authorities deployed eight helicopters, 57 pieces of equipment and 171 firefighters to extinguish the fire. Major flames were brought under control at around 3:15 p.m., roughly three hours after the fire broke out, and the fire was fully extinguished at 4:11 p.m.

No injuries were reported, but the reed field and parts of a nearby park were burned, resulting in property damage. Thick smoke from the fire also led to a complete shutdown of traffic in both directions on the Susan Bridge.

About 635 people, including visitors at a nearby golf course and residents, were evacuated as a precaution.

Police said they plan to investigate the exact motive and circumstances of the incident before seeking a warrant for the man’s arrest.

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 KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]