Bucheon Apartment Electric Pad Fire...17 residents inhale smoke

A fire broke out on the 12th floor of a 23-story apartment building in Jung-dong, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, at around 4 a.m. today (19th).

The fire took 17 residents to the hospital after inhaling smoke, and all the rooms that first caught fire were burned down.

The fire authorities issued an alert "Response Phase 1" that mobilized all fire department personnel for fear of casualties and put out the fire in about 30 minutes.

The fire department is investigating the exact cause of the fire based on the report that the electric pad in the living room caught fire.