Jakarta, IO – A blaze engulfed a slum are on the outskirts of South Korean capital Seoul, Friday (20/1). At least 40 makeshift houses and 500 people had to be evacuated.
The fire quickly consumed the densely populated settlement at around 6.30am local time. About 290 fire-fighting personnel and 10 helicopters were deployed to extinguish the fire in the village of Guryong, in the southern part of Seoul, reported Reuters, Friday (20/1).
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, has ordered the country’s fire brigades to deploy all resources to contain the blaze and minimize damage.
Read: The urgency to ratify Domestic Workers Protection bill
Guryong is one of the last remaining slums in Seoul, as well as a symbol of inequality in the fourth largest economy in Asia. The slum was frequently hit by floods and fires because the majority of the houses are built with cardboard, corrugated iron and wooden plank. Seoul Mayor Oh Se Hoon has ordered immediate steps be taken to relocate residents impacted by the fire. (bp)