Fire hero dies after saving neighbors
By Hong Dam-young
A man in his 20s, surnamed Ahn, has died in hospital after saving his neighbors from a fire that broke out in their building on Sept. 9. / Courtesy of YouTube
A man in his 20s has died in hospital after saving his neighbors from a fire that a jilted boyfriend lit while they slept.
The rescuer, surnamed Ahn, 28, had been unconscious for 11 days following the fire, according to the Donga Ilbo.
The incident happened when an anonymous man in his 20s -- who was furious after breaking up with his girlfriend -- set fire to a five-story building in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, about 4:20 a.m. on Sept. 9.
Ahn called 119 after sensing the fire from his room on the fourth floor and evacuated to the first floor.
But he rushed back into the building to wake up his sleeping neighbors.
The neighbors later told police Ahn had knocked on their doors, calling on them to escape.
Thanks to his warnings, no one was hurt, except Ahn.
He was found unconscious near an entrance to the roof, overcome by toxic fumes from the fire.
His nose and ears were slightly blackened, while his hands got burnt, probably from knocking on neighbors’ doors during the fire, Ahn’s father said.
Footage showed Ahn looking up at the building before going back into the elevator, police said.
His bereaved family said Ahn was preparing to become a dubbing artist at an academy near the building.
“At first I felt resentful for the decision he made,” Ahn’s father said.
“But now I’d like to tell him, ‘you did a good job, my son.’”