Chinese national sent to prosecution over deadly warehouse fire

▲ A Chinese national (C) accused of causing a deadly warehouse fire attends his arrest warrant hearing at a court in Haenam, southwestern South Korea, in this April 14, 2026, file photo. (Yonhap)

Chinese national-warehouse fire

Chinese national sent to prosecution over deadly warehouse fire

SEOUL, April 22 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese national arrested for causing a fire at a cold storage warehouse that left two firefighters dead was referred to the prosecution Wednesday, police said.

The 34-year-old man is accused of causing the fire while using a torch to remove epoxy flooring, a highly flammable substance, at a seafood processing company's warehouse in Wando, about 410 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on April 12.

The fire spread rapidly, leaving two firefighters trapped inside the warehouse dead.

The Chinese national, who is said to be staying here illegally, fled to another region as the problem became serious but was caught by the police later.

The police have booked his supervisor on the same charges, believing that the person also bears responsibility for the deadly fire.

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