Four family members were belatedly found dead 13 hours after a fire erupted at a three-story apartment building outside of Seoul, authorities said Tuesday.
The fire erupted at around 5:12 a.m. on the second floor of the building in Seongnam, outside of Seoul. The fire was put out in about 30 minutes and no deaths were reported at that time. Seven people were taken to a hospital for inhaling smoke.
But around 13 hours later, a locksmith discovered the bodies of four members of the Choi family, who resided on the third floor. The locksmith forcibly opened the door as there was no presence on the third floor for almost the whole day, according to police.
Firefighters are under criticism over their failure to thoroughly check the building. They said they left the scene after determining that it was unlikely the flame had spread to the third floor and the door was locked without any indication of people around. (Yonhap)