Bereaved families mourn, survivors recall chaos of Bucheon hotel fire

Fire officials inspect the scene at a hotel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday morning, following a fire the previous day. (Yonhap)

Among the seven people who died in Thursday's hotel fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, was a 28-year-old woman whose final moments have deeply resonated with the public.

The woman, surnamed Kim, made her last desperate phone call to her father at 7:42 p.m., just three minutes after the fire broke out, according to reports by the JoongAng Ilbo.

"Something terrible has happened. The smoke is so thick I can’t get out," she said. In a second call, just over five minutes later, she added, "I don’t think I can last another five minutes. Please throw away my belongings and live well for me." The tragedy occurred on the day of her father’s birthday.

Kim, known for her tireless work ethic, held two jobs—one at a mobile phone store by day and another at a fast-food restaurant by night. Her father described her as the family's pillar, shouldering significant responsibilities after they faced financial hardship.

Kim was later found in the bathroom of her room, where she had tried to escape the flames.

The fire, which started on the eighth floor of the nine-story hotel at 7:39 p.m., quickly filled the building with smoke. The absence of a sprinkler system is believed to have worsened the disaster. All seven victims were Korean nationals. Authorities suspect the fire began in room 810 on the eighth floor, but the exact cause is still under investigation.

A view of the hotel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday morning, the day after a fire broke out. (Yonhap)

Emergency responders faced significant challenges during the rescue efforts due to the dark, smoke-filled of the 64-room hotel. At the time of the fire, 69 people were listed as staying in the hotel, 29 of them foreign naitonals. However, the exact number of guests present during the fire remains unconfirmed. “Most guests we found had sought refuge in bathrooms to escape the smoke and were rescued from there,” one firefighter said.

A guest staying on the fifth floor recalled the initial chaos: “At first, the fire alarm went off and there was screaming, then I saw smoke. I realized immediately how serious the situation was and fled with my companions, without even gathering our belongings.”

Four guests from Kazakhstan, in Korea for medical treatment, were also among those who escaped the blaze.

Three people who were injured are in serious condition and are receiving hospital treatment. Interior Minister Lee Sang-min visited the site the following morning, pledging full support for rescue efforts and emphasizing the need for thorough firefighting and recovery operations. He also called for a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Police and fire authorities prepare for a joint investigation at a hotel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday morning, the day after a fire occurred. (Yonhap)

Police launched an investigation into the fire on Friday. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency formed an 84-person team to determine the cause and investigate potential negligence in building management. The investigation team also conducted a joint on-site inspection at the fire scene at 11 a.m., together with firefighters and personnel from the National Forensic Service, it noted.

By Lee Jaeeun(jenn@heraldcorp.com)