Udec Corporation

Historical Moment: 1999 Inchon Karaoke Bar Fire

Fire swept through a four-story building crowded with diners and drinkers, killing at least 55 people, many of them teen-agers on October 30, 1999. Over 80 people were injured.

Most of the victims - mainly high school students were out enjoying themselves at after school festivals - were trapped in a billiard parlor on the third floor, or inside a second-floor bar that illegally catered to underage drinkers.

The fire started in the basement that was undergoing renovations. Workers broke a light bulb, sending sparks into open tins of paint thinner.

The 20-year-old building apparently had no sprinklers and fire alarms and the flames quickly spread. Hundreds of people were trapped on the top two floors. There were few emergency exits and many of the windows were blocked.

Flames raced through a narrow corridor, burning plastic furniture and carpets. Everyone in a ground-floor restaurant got out of the building. But more than 120 people in upper floors were trapped, killed by the toxic gas that quickly filled the building.

When fire engines finally arrived at the scene, it took only 40 minutes to put out the blaze. However, many of those who survive were unable to breathe on their own. One doctor was quoted as saying their lungs had simply burnt out.

The building was in an entertainment district in the center of Inchon, South Korea’s third largest city. A report on state-run television said it was about 20 years old and lacked basic fire prevention systems, like sprinklers.

President Kim Dae-jung ordered a tightening of safety regulations for clubs and bars. The tragedy has once again highlighted South Korea’s lax safety standards.

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