Cat sets fire to studio apartment

A cat set fire to a studio apartment in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, causing 22 residents to evacuate the building in the middle of the night.

The fire broke out around 2:50 a.m. and was put out by firefighters 23 minutes later. The total damage is estimated to be 1.4 million won ($1,250). 

 

(Yonhap)

Emergency sprinklers prevented the fire from spreading and no human injuries were caused.

The fire was reportedly caused by a cat who turned on the microwave while its owner was away. The cat died from suffocation.

Authorities warned of the risks of leaving pets at home with no supervision, as fires linked to cats continue to occur. In July, three cases of fire in Daejeon were caused by cats left alone by owners.

By Park Jin-won (jpark13@heraldcorp.com)