Serial Arson Attacks in Gangnam Leave 19 Injured

A man in his 70s, accused of setting fire to two buildings in Gangnam, Seoul, one after the other, was arrested by police four hours after the blaze, with 19 citizens injured in the incident. The fire broke out at a building in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, at around 11:54 a.m. on the 20th, and just seven minutes later, another fire erupted at a second building about 130 meters away.

Flames shot up at the scene as black smoke engulfed the entire building. Citizens awaiting rescue clung to a railing on one side. One witness said, "Someone was shouting about a fire in the back, and I saw people hanging on to the railing." Trapped citizens escaped by climbing down ladders or smashing windows themselves. Witness Song In-hee recounted the moment, saying, "People upstairs were running around screaming 'Save us, save us.' It was a situation where they couldn't even jump down, and it was terrifying."

A total of 19 people were injured in the fires at the two buildings, including a woman in her 30s who was taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest.

Police, tracking the suspect using CCTV footage, made an emergency arrest of a man in his 70s, identified only as Lee, on suspicion of arson near Dongmyo Station in Seoul four hours after the fire broke out. Police transferred Lee to Suseo Police Station in Seoul and are investigating the exact circumstances of the crime.