Seoul: A fire broke out at a wooden building inside a garden designated as cultural heritage in northern Seoul, officials said. The blaze erupted at the Korean-style building located in the garden in Seoul's Seongbuk-dong at 12:45 p.m., prompting firefighters to quickly mobilize personnel and equipment to the scene following reports of a fire for unknown reasons.
According to Yonhap News Agency, firefighters issued the lowest, level one response of a three-tier system nearly an hour after the fire started. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported yet. The building, known to have been newly erected in the 1950s, required firefighters to dismantle the roof as smoke was emanating from the upper roof tiles.
The pillars of the building suffered severe damage from the fire, as confirmed by firefighters and the Korea Heritage Service. The garden, formerly known as Seongnagwon, is a representative garden from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and was designated as one of the country's scenic sites in 2020.