A fire broke out at a seven-story motel in Okryeon-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, at around 9:41 a.m. Saturday, injuring 51 guests.
The building is a type of budget lodging common in South Korean cities, with 46 rooms across its floors.
Of the 51 injured, all from smoke inhalation or related causes, 26 were transported to hospitals. Among them, one was classified as critical, three as urgent and the remaining 22 as non-emergency patients, according to fire authorities. The other 25 sustained only minor smoke inhalation and did not require hospital transfer.
An estimated 50 guests were staying at the time of the fire, which started in a fifth-floor room.
Some guests escaped on their own by climbing out of windows, while others jumped onto air mattresses deployed below.
Fire authorities dispatched 60 personnel and 31 vehicles after receiving the emergency call, fully extinguishing the blaze by 10:25 a.m., 44 minutes after it was reported.
Investigators are looking into the possibility that an e-cigarette being charged inside the room may have caused the fire.
"Flames and smoke were pouring out from the exterior of the room when we arrived," a fire authority official said, adding that authorities plan to investigate the exact cause and assess property damage.
mjh@heraldcorp.com
