South Korean Shanty Blaze
South Korea: 500 evacuated as fire breaks out at Seoul slums
Seoul: About 500 people have been evacuated from their homes on Friday as fire broke out at the last remaining shanties in South Korean capital Seoul.
So far, 60 homes have been destroyed, media reports said.
The blaze broke out at 6:27 a.m. in the fourth district of the Guryong village, located in Seoul's posh area of Gangnam Ward, and was fully extinguished around 11:46 a.m., fire officials told Yonhap news agency.
However, no casualty has been reported so far.
More than 900 firefighters, police officers and government officials were dispatched to fight the blaze and handle evacuations, reports the news agency.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on a visit to Switzerland to attend the Davos forum, called for maximum efforts in the mobilization of all available firefighters and equipment to ensure there are no casualties, according to Yoon's spokesperson Kim Eun-hye.
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