An elderly woman was found dead after a fire broke out Thursday at dawn at her house in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, fire authorities said.
The fire started around 3:17 a.m. Thursday and was extinguished 30 minutes later, according to reports.
A next-door neighbor in the village called 119 to report a “house in flames.”
A fire sets a house ablaze in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)
The fire department said it extinguished the fire in 30 minutes after arriving on the scene and found the 86-year-old woman, surnamed Lee, lying near the front door.
The fire reportedly burnt through an area of 19.8 square meters and caused approximately 5 million won ($4,635) of damages, according to reports.
Police and fire authorities suspect an electric fault started the fire. They are running inspections to determine the exact cause and origin.
By Catherine Chung (
cec82@heraldcorp.com)