Resident Says Family Lost Home of 20 Years in Uiwang Apartment Fire

A resident who lived for more than 20 years in an apartment in Uiwang, south of Seoul, said the family lost everything after a fire that started in the unit below.

A post circulating on social media on May 4 identified the writer, surnamed A, as a member of the family living directly above the unit where the fire began.

A said the apartment was the first home the parents ever bought. “They lived there for more than 20 years, and overnight they lost everything,” A wrote. “We can’t even cry.”

A said the family had been told some belongings might be salvageable, but found nothing could be recovered. “I’m so angry, and it hurts even more that I can’t help them,” A wrote.

Because the fire started directly below, A said the damage was worse than in other units. A also said the family did not have fire insurance and that compensation for household items was small. A wrote that the parents did not want to ask even their children for help, despite needing basics such as clothing.

Photos posted with the message showed furniture, including a bed, burned beyond recognition and reduced to blackened debris.

In a later post, A said an insurance company would provide some compensation for the building and household items. A added that the family was recognized as displaced and would receive support for temporary housing.

A said other affected families were still not receiving temporary housing support. A wrote that city assistance is provided per household, making it difficult for families of three or more to use nearby lodging, and that many residents were struggling because immediate housing support was limited.

The fire began around 10:30 a.m. on April 30 on the 14th floor of the apartment building. A man in his 60s, identified as B, fell to his death, and his wife, a woman in her 50s, was found dead in the bathroom. Six other residents suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation.

A note was found in B’s clothing expressing despair over personal circumstances, including financial hardship, authorities said. The couple’s apartment had recently been sold after going to auction, according to reports.

A joint team from Uiwang police, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency’s forensic unit, the National Forensic Service and the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters conducted an on-site inspection on May 1 and confirmed a gas valve inside the unit had been left open. Investigators tentatively concluded that leaking gas led to an explosion.



* This article has been translated by AI.

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