How many people and what resources were deployed to fight the Guryong Village fire?

Authorities mobilized 232 personnel and 70 pieces of equipment. They also deployed six firefighting helicopters to help prevent the blaze from spreading into a wildfire.

What emergency measures did officials take as the Guryong Village fire spread?

Fire authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at 3:59 p.m. and later raised the response level by one notch. The Gangnam Ward office sent a safety message telling nearby residents to close their windows and vehicles to avoid the area.

What did President Lee Jae Myung order officials to do during the Guryong Village fire?

Lee instructed officials to deploy all available resources to the firefighting operation and make every effort to ensure residents’ safety. He also ordered measures to protect firefighters at the scene, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.

No casualties reported in shanty town fire in southern Seoul

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Summary

A fire broke out at a makeshift building in Guryong Village in Seoul’s Gangnam district on Tuesday, and no casualties had been reported. Thirty-nine residents evacuated as the blaze spread, prompting authorities to raise their emergency response level. Firefighters deployed personnel, equipment and helicopters to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading into a wildfire. President Lee Jae Myung ordered officials to use all available resources and protect residents and firefighters.

Key Facts

The fire began at about 3:50 p.m., and authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at 3:59 p.m. before raising it by one notch.
A total of 232 personnel and 70 pieces of equipment were mobilized to fight the blaze.
Six firefighting helicopters were deployed to help prevent the fire from spreading into a wildfire.
The Gangnam Ward office advised nearby residents to close their windows and urged vehicles to avoid the area.
Authorities planned to investigate the cause and assess the damage after extinguishing the fire.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 27, 2026 4:55 pm KST
Updated Oct 27, 2026 6:53 pm KST

Smoke and flames rise as a fire breaks out at Guryong Village in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

A fire broke out at a shantytown in Seoul's posh southern district of Gangnam on Tuesday, but no casualties have been reported so far, officials said.

The fire broke out at about 3:50 p.m. at a makeshift building at Guryong Village, prompting 39 residents to flee to safety, according to fire authorities.

Fire authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at 3:59 p.m. and later raised the response level by one notch as the fire spread.

A total of 232 personnel and 70 pieces of equipment were mobilized to the scene to fight the blaze.

Smoke rises from a fire that broke out at Guryong Village, Seoul's Gangnam District, Tuesday. Yonhap

No injuries or missing persons have been reported so far, and 39 residents have evacuated the area on their own, officials said.

Authorities have guided the locals to a safe area and deployed six firefighting helicopters to prevent the blaze from spreading into a wildfire.

Firefighting officials plan to look into the cause of the blaze and assess the damage as soon as the blaze is extinguished.

The Gangnam Ward office sent a safety text message advising nearby residents to close their windows and for vehicles to avoid the area.

President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to deploy all available resources for the firefighting operation and make every effort to ensure the safety of residents.

Lee also ordered authorities to take measures to secure the safety of firefighters deployed to the scene, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.

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