A hotel fire in Bucheon, South Korea on August 22, 2024 killed seven people and injured 12 others, three critically. The blaze began around 7:30 p.m. on the eighth floor of the nine-story building and quickly filled the upper floors with thick, toxic smoke, trapping guests in their rooms, hallways, and stairwells.
Emergency responders arrived promptly but faced difficulties rescuing guests as toxic smoke filled the upper floors. Fire officials noted that many guestroom doors were locked, hampering their efforts. 150 firefighters and 46 vehicles spent roughly three hours extinguishing the flames.
The fire is believed to have started in room 810 and been caused by an electrical fault. The room was unoccupied because a guest who was given that room had smelled smoke and asked for a change. Though the flames did not spread widely, the smoke was so dense that escape became nearly impossible for many guests. Five of the seven victims died from smoke inhalation, while two others died after jumping from windows on the eighth floor. An inflatable cushion, a landing spot for guests jumping out of the hotel which firefighters put down, flipped over after two guests jumped onto it. One victim hit the edge of the cushion, causing it to overturn, leading to fatal injuries for both individuals.
The hotel, built in 2003, was not equipped with a sprinkler system, as sprinklers were not mandated at the time of construction. South Korean regulations only required sprinklers for buildings over six floors starting in 2017. This lack of sprinklers allowed toxic smoke to spread quickly, contributing to the high number of casualties. One survivor, a 40-year-old guest named Seo, told local media, “The sprinklers did not work, and there was no one to guide me.”
Authorities are investigating whether negligence in building management contributed to the tragedy. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency has formed a joint investigation team of 84 members, including firefighters and forensic experts, to determine the exact cause of the fire and review safety regulations.
The South Korean government has promised to thoroughly review fire safety regulations, particularly those concerning older buildings. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has pledged to update building codes and retrofit older structures to prevent similar incidents in the future.