Two dead, 37 others injured in construction site fire in South Korea

A fire swept through an under-construction apartment building in the South Korean city of Sejong on Tuesday, leaving two dead, one missing and 37 others injured, fire authorities said.

Fourteen Chinese workers were among the casualties but it remains unclear whether any of the dead were Chinese, a spokesman from the National Fire Agency said.

Of the injured, three were listed as being in a serious condition, he added.

The fire in the 24-storey building apparently started in the underground parking garage, the spokesman told AFP.

“There was a loud explosion and I saw huge flames and black clouds engulfing the building just across the street”, an eye-witness told Yonhap news agency.

“Workers were shouting for help from windows and scaffoldings”, another witness said.

Construction firm officials estimated 169 workers were present at the site at the time of the fire.

About 40 fire trucks and 115 firefighters battled the blaze but they were hampered by toxic gas and smoke from burning insulating materials, a firefighter at the scene told local media.  /vvp