Key Takeaways
- At least 18 people were hospitalized after inhaling smoke or suffering minor injuries.
- 140 firefighters and 49 pieces of equipment were deployed, extinguishing the blaze in about 90 minutes.
- The cause of the hotel fire remains under investigation by authorities.
Seoul: At least 18 people were taken to hospitals Sunday night in a hotel fire that broke out in South Korea’s western port city of Incheon, according to Yonhap news agency.
The fire began at about 9:01 p.m. local time (1201 GMT) from the parking lot of the hotel.
The building has three stories below ground and 18 stories above ground in Incheon, heightening the challenge for responders.
The 18 people were taken to hospitals for treatment after inhaling smoke or suffering back and ankle pains. They were sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
The fire authorities dispatched some 140 firefighters and 49 equipment to the scene, extinguishing the flame about one and a half hours later.
The authorities were investigating the exact cause of the incident.
