Seongnam's two-story house collapsed... "Estimated collapse due to aging."

[Anchor]
A two-story house in Sinheung-dong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, has collapsed.

The fire department estimates that the nearly 50-year-old building was old and caused the accident, with some also suspecting the impact of the recent heavy snow.

Residents were also evacuated due to fears of further collapse of nearby buildings.

Reporter Shin Gwi-hye reports.

[Reporter]
In a narrow alley where access control lines are in place and 119 ambulances are waiting, the building, which was standing close with cracks, suddenly collapses.

"Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

At around 3 p.m., a two-story building in Sinheung-dong, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, collapsed.

[Nearby merchant: Don't you see smoke coming up when the building collapses? That's how the smoke came up.]

The fire authorities, who were dispatched at around 2:20 p.m. after receiving a report that the building was about to collapse, ordered seven residents living nearby to evacuate.

There were two residents in the collapsed building, but they were out.

After confirming signs of collapse, police and firefighters controlled the alley to prevent citizens from passing by.

The building collapsed just over 10 minutes after residents were evacuated.

[Choi Chul-woong / Seongnam Fire Station Fire Prevention Response Division: The sound of the building's exterior tilting and collapsing was heard. The stairs were badly twisted..]

Police and firefighters believe the building, which is 48 years old, is aging and caused an accident.

Some residents doubt that the old building could not withstand heavy snow.

[Nearby merchant: It snowed a lot for almost two days, so other houses had some problems. The shade was falling down..]

Residents living near the collapsed building have fled to welfare centers over fears of further collapse, while Seongnam City, police, and fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident.

I'm YTN's Shin Gwihye.