In the early morning of the 22nd, New Year’s Day, fires broke out in four places near Cheonggyecheon in Seoul. Police are investigating three locations assuming arson.
According to the fire department, a fire broke out in a residential area near Sindang Station in Jung-gu at around 1:31 am, and a fire broke out in front of a shopping mall in Hwanghak-dong 17 minutes later.
Reports were received that a fire broke out in a two-story shopping mall in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu around 2:05 and around 2:31 around a food stall in Myo-dong, Jongno-gu.
There were no casualties, but three residents on the third floor of a building near Sindang Station, where the first report came in, had to evacuate quickly while sleeping.
The police are investigating the possibility of arson in three cases, excluding the fire in the cemetery in Jongno-gu, as a series of fires occurred in close proximity.
Donga.com reporter Jo Yoo-kyung polaris27@donga.com
