(4th LD) Seoul buildings-fire

▲ Firefighters inspect the site of a fire that ravaged a building in southern Seoul on Oct. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES info in paras 6-7)

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- Police on Tuesday apprehended a man in connection with suspected arson at two buildings in southern Seoul that left 19 people injured, officials said.

The man in his 70s is accused of starting a fire on the third floor of a building in Seoul's southern ward of Gangnam at 11:54 a.m. before starting another fire on the fourth floor of a nearby building at 12:01 p.m.

The fire at the first building forced some 60 people to evacuate and left 11 injured, including one in a state of cardiac arrest. Firefighters extinguished the blaze at 2:20 p.m.

The fire at the second building left eight people injured before it was extinguished at 12:35 p.m.

Police took the suspect into custody near Dongmyo Station in central Seoul at 4:16 p.m. after he went on the run by taking the subway.

The suspect was later taken to Suseo Police Station in southern Seoul for questioning.

The suspect told reporters that he had been preparing to set the fire for about three days, claiming that he committed the crime over a dispute with a patent firm while registering a trademark overseas.

A police official declined to provide details as an investigation is ongoing.

Authorities dispatched 115 firefighters to put out the fires after receiving a report that someone had started a fire.

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