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| ▲ Police officers stand guard at the entrance of a hotel in Bucheon, west of Seoul, on Aug. 23, 2024, where a deadly fire broke out the night before. (Yonhap) |
hotel fire-probe
Police begin probe into cause of Bucheon hotel fire
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Police on Friday launched an investigation into the cause of a Bucheon hotel fire that left seven dead and 12 injured the previous night.
The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said it formed an 84-person investigation team to look into why the deadly blaze occurred on the eighth floor of the nine-story hotel in Bucheon, 20 kilometers west of Seoul, at 7:39 p.m. Thursday.
Firefighters put out the fire in about three hours but as many as seven hotel guests in their 20s to 50s lost their lives. Of the 12 injured, three are said to be in serious condition.
The police agency said the investigation will be focused on determining the cause of the fire and possible negligence in building management.
The investigation team was set to conduct a joint on-site inspection at the fire scene at 11 a.m., together with firefighters and personnel from the National Forensic Service, it noted.
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