A massive fire erupted at a 33-story apartment building and engulfed the entire complex with hundreds of people trapped inside in flames.
The enormous blaze took place in Ulsan, South Korea, where the fire had quickly spread through the entire building located in the Dal Dong district with the help of strong winds.
According to the reports, the fire started at around 11 pm local time on Thursday and affected a series of shopping units and a total of 136 apartments that are home to hundreds of people.
During the initial intervention, the fire department rushed to evacuate the building and save its residents from the inferno.
As the authorities reported, at least 88 of the evacuated residents sustained injuries whereas many had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
In videos showing the tragic moments, the building is seen consumed by the flames that are extending from the bottom of the apartment complex to the top of the building.
As the flames at the apartment building grew in size, a nearby shopping center reportedly caught on fire as well. That fire has reportedly been put out. As of Friday 9 am local time, the authorities also confirmed that the blaze at the 33-story building was nearly extinguished.
“Suddenly, the fire came up. The windows were broken and the living room and bedroom lit up,” one witness said in an interview with Yonhap news agency.
While the authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, one witness suggested that “exterior material” attached to the building from the outside could have been the cause of the blaze that presumably started on the 12th floor.
Sending prayers for the victims and their families during these hard times.
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Replaced!