Apartment fire in Gwangju sends unresponsive man to hospital

A man in his 50s was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest after a fire broke out in an apartment in Gwangju’s Buk District on Friday morning.

Emergency services received a report at 7:16 a.m. of black smoke coming from the 12th floor of an apartment in Duam-dong in Buk District, Gwangju, according to the Gwangju Fire Department.

Firefighters deployed 60 personnel and 18 vehicles, extinguishing the blaze within 20 minutes, by 7:36 a.m.

The man in his 50s reportedly had a disability and was unable to evacuate in time. Dozens of residents safely evacuated from the building.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY JANG GU-SEUL [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]