“They were pure, bright, and smart children.”

At the mourning altar for the elementary school brother and sister who died in a fire at a villa in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, family members met on the 9th could not hide their sorrow. While the father and guardian had put his 8-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter to bed and stepped out briefly the previous night, a fire broke out.

Father Mr. A said, “I never imagined this would happen,” recalling the siblings with a blank look. Grandfather Mr. B also said, “I still cannot believe it,” adding, “They were truly pure and good children.” Maternal grandmother Ms. C said, “Until last month we even traveled together, and every weekend we went to many places such as kids cafes,” and “The older child was kind, always making sure to get food for the younger sibling.”

According to the fire authorities that day, at around 10:57 p.m. the previous night, a fire broke out in the living room of the home of Mr. A on the third floor of a villa (multi-family housing) with three stories above ground and one basement level in Galhyeon-dong, Eunpyeong-gu. The siblings were rescued by responding firefighters and taken to a hospital, but they ultimately died. Two residents living on the third floor where the fire occurred inhaled smoke and received treatment. Nine other residents in the same building evacuated on their own, and there were no additional casualties.

Responding to a report from a neighbor that smoke and flames erupted along with a ‘bang’ sound, firefighters extinguished the blaze completely in 50 minutes. A total of 95 personnel, including firefighters and police, and 23 vehicles were mobilized to fight the fire. The fire authorities stated, “A blaze occurred due to an unknown factor, and the unit was half burned.” At the site visited that day, the insect screen of a window that had burned in the fire had sprung out and fallen outside the building.

The fire department and police are investigating the exact cause of the fire through a second joint examination. A police official said, “Through forensics and an autopsy, we plan to identify the exact ignition and cause of death and to investigate whether there is any criminal connection,” adding, “So far, no criminal link has been found.” The bereaved family said they think the fire may have started due to an electrical short circuit or leakage inside the home.

Residents who visited the site on the morning of this day after hearing the news of the fire expressed sorrow over the death of the siblings. One resident said, “There was a ‘bang’ sound and I heard someone next door shouting ‘Help, save someone’,” adding, “Every winter I sell fish-shaped pastry near the villa, and the older brother always took his younger sister along and looked after her well. They were kind and cheerful children.” Ms. D, a woman in her sixties, recounted the situation at the time of the fire the previous day, saying, “People from nearby villas all came out and were murmuring.”