257 precious artifacts moved to National Museum amid fire at National Hangeul Museum construction site
On the 1st of August, a fire broke out at the National Hangeul Museum in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with firefighters successfully extinguishing the flames after approximately 7 hours. Thankfully, there were no casualties among visitors or damage to cultural heritage.
According to the fire department, the fire started at 8:40 a.m. and within 50 minutes of the incident, the first response was initiated with 76 pieces of equipment and 262 personnel deployed.
Although the blaze was contained at 12:31 p.m., the process of clearing combustible materials and debris took time, resulting in the fire being fully extinguished at 3:22 p.m., totaling 6 hours and 42 minutes.
The fire originated on the 3rd floor, used for exhibitions, and spread to the 4th floor. Investigators suspect that sparks from welding work being conducted as part of the construction project may have ignited the fire.
In light of the incident, a fire department official reported that the sprinkler system was believed to be inactive. One firefighter was injured during the fire suppression operation and was subsequently hospitalized, while 2 workers inside the museum were rescued and 4 others evacuated safely.
Due to the construction work that led to the museum's closure from October of last year until now, there were no additional casualties as visitors were absent during the incident.
Although the 3rd and 4th floors of the museum were damaged by the fire, reports indicate that there was no harm done to cultural heritage. With no major impact on nearby residential areas, the possibility of any significant damage to residents is low.
In response to the fire, the National Hangeul Museum promptly transferred 257 national treasures to the nearby National Museum in efforts to prevent further damage. Fortunately, the remaining artifacts were also reported to be undamaged.
Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Yoo offered apologies for the incident and pledged to take preventive measures to ensure such accidents do not reoccur.
Expressing regret over the sudden fire, Minister Yoo stated, "I apologize to the citizens for the unexpected fire incident. With numerous multicultural facilities under the Ministry of Culture, we will conduct thorough inspections and ensure their safety and security."