Deadly Fire at Busan Hotel Construction Site Kills Six, Injures Dozens

A devastating fire broke out at the Banyan Tree Hotel construction site in Busan’s Gijang area on February 14 at 10:51 AM KST. The blaze quickly spread through the building, causing severe damage and leading to multiple casualties.

The Busan Fire Headquarters issued a Level 1 response at 11:10 AM, but as the situation worsened, the alert was raised to Level 2 by noon. This led to a large-scale response, with 352 firefighters, 124 fire trucks, and three helicopters being dispatched to control the flames.

Firefighters managed to rescue several workers trapped on the 12th floor using helicopters. Unfortunately, six individuals in cardiac arrest were later pronounced dead at 1:44 PM. Additionally, 27 people sustained injuries, mostly due to smoke inhalation.

By 1:34 PM, most of the fire was under control, but authorities continued search operations to locate any remaining workers inside the building. Fourteen people were found stranded on the rooftop and were successfully rescued.

Officials suspect that insulating materials near the first-floor swimming pool may have contributed to the fire, though the exact cause is still under investigation.

Yi Han Kyung, General Director for Disaster and Safety Management, has directed the Busan Metropolitan Government to activate its disaster safety headquarters to assist in ongoing rescue efforts. The Ministry of Employment and Labor has also been tasked with overseeing the investigation to determine the cause of the fire and ensure workplace safety measures were in place.