Fire breaks out on first floor of hotel in Jeonju's Deokjin-gu

Owner, wife and son suffer burns

The interior of a lodging facility in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, is scorched after a fire broke out at around 5:16 a.m. Wednesday. Police and fire authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze, which they suspect was set by the establishment's owner. [North Jeolla Province Fire Service/Yonhap]
The interior of a lodging facility in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, is scorched after a fire broke out at around 5:16 a.m. Wednesday. Police and fire authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze, which they suspect was set by the establishment's owner. [North Jeolla Province Fire Service/Yonhap]

A fire suspected to have been set by the owner of a lodging facility in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, injured three people and forced dozens of guests to evacuate early Wednesday.

According to the North Jeolla Province fire department, a report came in at around 5:16 a.m. Wednesday of an unexplained fire on the first floor of a hotel in Songcheon-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju.

The interior of a lodging facility in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, is scorched after a fire broke out at around 5:16 a.m. Wednesday. Police and fire authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze, which they suspect was set by the establishment's owner. [North Jeolla Province Fire Service/Yonhap]
The interior of a lodging facility in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, is scorched after a fire broke out at around 5:16 a.m. Wednesday. Police and fire authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze, which they suspect was set by the establishment's owner. [North Jeolla Province Fire Service/Yonhap]

The hotel owner, a man in his 70s identified only by the surname initial A, his wife and son suffered burns and were taken to a hospital.

At the time, 45 guests were staying in 30 of the hotel's 36 rooms, but all managed to evacuate, preventing greater casualties.

The building's sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived, fire authorities said.

Police believe A, who was intoxicated, spread flammable material across the hotel lobby, elevator and parking area before setting it alight.

His wife and son, who had been trying to stop him, were caught in the flames and also injured.

Police have booked A on charges including arson of an inhabited building causing bodily harm and plan to investigate his exact motive once he has completed treatment.

"The suspect was seriously injured and is not in a condition to give a statement," a police official said. "Based on witness accounts gathered so far, we believe the fire was set by the owner."


jshan@heraldcorp.com