Seven people lost their lives, and a dozen others were injured after a fire broke out at a hotel in Bucheon, South Korea.
The blaze, believed to have started on the eighth floor due to an electrical fault, led to tragic consequences.
Two of the victims died after jumping out of windows onto an air mattress provided by the fire department, but the mattress flipped over.
“A female victim caught the corner of the mattress as they landed, causing it to flip as a second male victim jumped,” reports stated.
Other victims were found in rooms on the eighth floor, where the fire began.
Although the fire did not spread throughout the nine-storey building, the damage was extensive as the rooms lacked sprinklers.
The hotel, built in 2003, was constructed before sprinklers became a legal requirement, according to the city’s fire department.
The fire was reported at 19:39 local time (11:39 GMT) and was extinguished by 22:26 on Thursday.
Authorities are now investigating potential negligence on the part of the hotel’s management. The fire department’s use of the air mattress is also under scrutiny.
The injured are being treated in the hospital, with some suffering serious injuries caused by smoke inhalation.
Source-BBC
