(Seoul) A massive fire has broken out in one of the last remaining slums in South Korea’s capital Seoul, forcing 500 people to flee their homes ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, authorities said.
A video posted online shows flames ravaging the village of Guryong, a slum located in the shadow of the towers of the upscale Gangnam district, made famous by the worldwide success of singer Psy Gangnam Style.
The blaze, which started around 6:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EST), reportedly burned about 60 homes and was completely extinguished by noon, according to firefighters.
No casualties were reported and the cause of the fire is still unknown, they added.
“We are planning to conduct further investigation into this matter,” Choi Jae-young, an official with the Seoul Fire and Disaster HQ, told AFP.
But residents said they weren’t surprised by the fire.
“There have been a lot of safety issues in the community regarding the fires, and it seems they were never properly addressed” by authorities, Lee Woon-chul told AFP. , 65, who has lived in the village for 30 years.
“The houses are very old and the electrical wires are dangerous and poorly managed. Sparks inside homes are common,” he added.
PHOTO AHN YOUNG-JOON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Since 2012, the district has been affected by at least eight fires, including the one on Friday, the Gangnam district office in Seoul told AFP.
Guryong Village originated around 1988, when destitute nearby residents were evicted from their homes as part of the nation’s efforts to develop its capital city ahead of hosting the Olympics.
There were around 550 households left last year, according to official data, many of whom are believed to be living with inadequate sanitation.
The village is worlds away from the opulent and glitzy world of Gangnam, an area renowned for its boutiques and luxury apartments.
South Korea is working to tackle social disparities and decided last year to ban the cramped basement apartments made famous by the Oscar-winning film ‘Parasite’, after four people drowned in their homes underground during floods.