[News Today] Cramped guesthouses vulnerable to fire

[LEAD]
A fire at a guesthouse in Seoul's Sogong-dong injured 10 people, including foreign tourists. The building was a popular budget accommodation, but its densely packed 'honeycomb-style' layout is raising concerns that evacuation was more difficult during the fire.

[REPORT]
Red flames and black smoke shoot out of the building.

Around 6 p.m. on Saturday, a fire broke out at a guesthouse on the third floor of a seven-story building in the Sogong-dong area in Seoul.

Nearby merchant / (VOICE MODIFIED)
There were lots of smoke. The smoke even came out of the basement.

Out of the 10 injured, three were in serious condition.

The injured were all foreigners.

The guesthouse, recently popular with tourists, showed clear vulnerabilities in the event of a fire.

The rooms were structured in a so-called 'honeycomb' layout with bunkbeds barely large enough for one person stacked on both sides of a cramped aisle.

Because space was tight, luggage was piled in the corridors and at the exits, making evacuation difficult.

Even the emergency exits were blocked with outdoor units of air conditioners, make escape hard.

Deshraz / Foreign guest
We took the stairs and we tried to come down. Unfortunately, it wasn't a smooth move because all the air conditioner outlets are blocking the stairs.

Police and fire authorities are investigating whether the building’s structure worsened the fire, along with whether the fire safety systems worked properly.

A massive wave of foreign tourists is expected to come to Seoul ahead of BTS's Gwanghwamun concert on March 21st.

The Seoul city government is considering the option of inspecting all guesthouses and lodgings in the city with similar structures.

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