Manager, owner held for killer fire

– South Korean police have arrested the owner and the manager of a building where 29 people died in a fire last week, accusing the pair of multiple safety lapses, including blocked exits and malfunctioning sprinkler systems.

On Thursday, a fire ripped through an eight-story highrise in the small city of Jecheon. At least 20 of the victims were women who were overcome by toxic fumes in a second-floor sauna.

A newspaper reported that the owner had told police he did not alert the women in the sauna because they were undressed.

Jecheon police have only identified the owner by his last name of Lee, and the manager by his last name of Kim.

Both men are in custody in Jecheon after being arrested on Sunday, police announced yesterday.

Lee faces two charges of violating fire safety regulations and committing involuntary homicide by professional negligence, while Kim also faces the involuntary homicide charge.

If convicted of involuntary homicide, Lee and Kim could face up to five years in prison or 20 million won (about R200 000) in fines.

“The sprinkler system on the building’s first floor did not work properly when the fire erupted,” a police detective, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak on an ongoing investigation, told Reuters.

“If the sprinkler system worked, the fire probably would not have spread as fast as it did.”

“The emergency exit on the building’s second floor was blocked by iron shelves and other miscellaneous items,” the detective confirmed. –