Police apprehend arson suspect behind 2 building fires in southern Seoul

Police apprehended a man in his 70s in southern Seoul on Tuesday after two suspected arson fires injured 19 people. The fires began in two nearby Gangnam buildings at 11:54 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. The suspect allegedly fled by subway before being taken into custody near Dongmyo Station at 4:16 p.m.

The first fire forced about 60 people to evacuate and injured 11 people, including one who went into cardiac arrest.

Firefighters extinguished the first blaze at 2:20 p.m., while the second fire was extinguished at 12:35 p.m.

Authorities dispatched 115 firefighters after receiving a report that someone had started a fire.

The suspect was apprehended after police said he went on the run by taking the subway.

Published Oct 20, 2026 5:16 pm KST

Updated Oct 20, 2026 5:58 pm KST

Firefighters inspect the scene at a commercial building where a fire broke out in Seoul's Gangnam District, Tuesday. Yonhap

Police on Tuesday apprehended a man in connection with suspected arson at two buildings in southern Seoul that left 19 people injured, officials said.

The man in his 70s is accused of starting a fire on the third floor of a building in Seoul's southern ward of Gangnam at 11:54 a.m. before starting another fire on the fourth floor of a nearby building at 12:01 p.m.

The fire at the first building forced some 60 people to evacuate and left 11 injured, including one in a state of cardiac arrest. Firefighters extinguished the blaze at 2:20 p.m.

Firefighters douse remaining flames after a fire broke out at a building, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

The fire at the second building left eight people injured before it was extinguished at 12:35 p.m.

Police took the suspect into custody near Dongmyo Station in central Seoul at 4:16 p.m. after he went on the run by taking the subway.

A police official declined to provide details as an investigation is ongoing.

Authorities dispatched 115 firefighters to put out the fires after receiving a report that someone had started a fire.

周二，首尔南部两栋疑似纵火案造成19人受伤，警方逮捕了一名70多岁的男子。火灾分别于上午11点54分和下午12点01分发生在江南区两栋相邻的建筑物内。嫌疑人据称乘坐地铁逃离现场，后于下午4点16分在东庙站附近被捕。

第一场火灾迫使约 60 人撤离，11 人受伤，其中一人心脏骤停。

消防员于下午2点20分扑灭了第一场火灾，第二场火灾于下午12点35分扑灭。

接到有人纵火的报告后，当局派出了 115 名消防员。

警方称，嫌疑人乘坐地铁逃跑后被抓获。

发布于2026年10月20日下午5:16（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月20日下午5:58（韩国标准时间）

周二，首尔江南区一栋商业建筑发生火灾，消防员正在现场进行勘察。（韩联社）

警方周二逮捕了一名男子，该男子涉嫌在首尔南部两栋建筑物纵火，造成 19 人受伤。

这名70多岁的男子被指控于上午11点54分在首尔江南区一栋建筑的三楼纵火，随后于下午12点01分在附近一栋建筑的四楼再次纵火。

第一栋楼的火灾迫使约60人疏散，并造成11人受伤，其中一人心脏骤停。消防员于下午2点20分扑灭了大​​火。

周二，首尔江南区一栋建筑物发生火灾后，消防员正在扑灭残余火焰。（韩联社）

第二栋楼的火灾造成八人受伤，火势于下午12点35分被扑灭。

下午 4 点 16 分，嫌犯在首尔市中心东庙站附近搭乘地铁逃跑后被警方抓获。

由于调查仍在进行中，警方官员拒绝透露详情。

接到有人纵火的报告后，当局派出 115 名消防员扑灭火灾。