The Tragedy of a Family with a Developmental Disorder in a Semi-basement Apartment: "Disaster Inequality" Hit the Vulnerable First

Rainwater Pouring in Through the Window Right Next to the Parking Lot: Heavy rain that fell on the night of August 8 isolated and killed a family of three in their home, located in the semi-basement of a multiplex house in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The picture shows the house flooded on August 9. The apartment was located right next to the basement parking lot, and when heavy rains fell, the water would flow in through the window and stairs from the building entrance, flooding the apartment. Bak Ha-yan

A family of three with a developmental disability living in the semi-basement of a multiplex house in Sillim-dong, Seoul died after they were locked in their house due to the downpour. In Dongjak-gu, another resident in a semi-basement apartment lost her life in a similar accident.

According to the police and the fire department, at 12:26 a.m. August 9, A, a forty-something woman with a developmental disability, her younger sister B, and B’s teenage daughter were found dead in a semi-basement apartment in a multiplex house in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu. The medical examiner presumed the cause of death as “drowning.”

The apartment where the accident occurred was right next to the basement parking lot of a four-story multiplex house. When heavy rains fall, the rainwater would flow into the semi-basement apartment through the window looking out onto the parking lot and the stairs leading down from the entrance of the building.

At the time of the accident, water had already flooded the area outside the front door, blocking the residents from opening the door. B called her mother, who was at the hospital for a doctor’s appointment, and told her that they could not open the door. Her mother asked a neighbor for help, but the situation was already beyond their control. B asked an acquaintance to report the flooding, and a police report was made at around 9 p.m. Monday.

The police requested the cooperation of the fire department since the rainwater had flooded the house. But by the time the authorities had pumped out the water, the three family members were already dead. A representative of the fire department said, “The ceiling was 2.3 meters from the floor, and it seems the rainwater had filled over 2 meters.”

One neighbor said, “About two hours before the accident, the child called her mom, said that the water was dropping and placed what looked like a bucket to gather the rainwater. I was worried, but now that such an accident has occurred, I feel bad and sorry.” A’s family was not the only ones residing in the semi-basement of this building. The family living next to A’s apartment survived. When the rain poured down, a family member came home, opened the window, removed the screen and the family managed to escape. None of the family members had any disabilities.

Mun Hyeok an activist at the People First Seongbuk Center explained, “There are many who live in poor housing among families with a member who has a developmental disability and among people with such disabilities living alone,” and said, “They are likely to face challenges in quickly preparing for or preventing disasters.” It would have been hard for B, who looked after her disabled sister and her young daughter at the same time, to promptly respond to the situation when the rainwater poured into the house.

A was eligible to receive assistance in her activities for her disability, but reportedly, her family oversaw her care. One neighbor said, “I’ve never seen anyone (care assistant) helping her with her activities.” An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, “The center providing the activity support service claimed that a care assistant accompanied the late A twice a day to and from the sheltered workshop where she worked. The care assistant was also there to help with the situation when the accident occurred.”

Choi Yong-geol, director of policy at the Korean Parents Network for People with Disabilities explained, “People with developmental disabilities receive assistance in their activities for about 4 hours a day, 120 hours a month.” He further explained, “A comprehensive check-list (to calculate the service hours) was created without considering the characteristics of developmental disabilities, and if the person lives with her family, she can’t receive more points.”

On Monday night, C, a woman in her fifties, also died in her semi-basement apartment in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. C’s mother escaped with their dog, but C was not so fortunate. C’s younger sibling who lived on the same floor immediately called the police and the fire department at around 8:27 p.m. but C was discovered at around 10:10 p.m. in her house, which was full of water.

C was transported to a nearby university hospital but died. A police representative said, “We received a doctor’s opinion presuming drowning as the cause of death.” C was on the National Basic Livelihood Security program.

With more than 300 millimeters of rain forecast through August 10, people are voicing concerns of more similar accidents. People argue that the government and local governments must immediately prepare emergency evacuation measures for disabled people and families living in semi-basement apartments, which are vulnerable to downpours.

An official from the Seoul metropolitan government said, “We do not have a separate service to prepare for heavy rains, and we have not received any instructions on support for downpours yet.” Director Choi argued that the government should first seek ways to support families at risk.