Seoul: A fire erupted at the National Hangeul Museum in central Seoul, South Korea, on February 1, leading to a swift response from local fire services. The fire, which began on the third floor, quickly spread to the fourth floor, where stored construction materials complicated firefighting efforts.
Within 50 minutes of the fire starting, authorities issued a Level 1 emergency alert and dispatched 140 personnel to combat the flames, as reported by Yonhap news agency. The museum is currently closed for expansion work, and one firefighter was injured by falling steel debris and taken to the hospital.
Two construction workers were rescued from the site, while four others evacuated safely. To protect its artefacts, the museum had been storing them separately during the construction. Authorities plan to move the remaining artefacts to the nearby National Museum of Korea as a precaution.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been triggered by sparks from steel-cutting activities at the construction site, and a full inquiry is underway to confirm the cause. Established in 2014, the museum aims to promote the cultural and linguistic importance of the Korean writing system, Hangeul.
Culture Minister Yu In-chon visited the site to assess the damage and urged for close collaboration between the museum and the fire department to ensure an effective response. He was updated on the firefighting efforts and emphasized the need for prioritizing fire suppression and damage control.