On April 21, 2025 (KST), a Korean man in his 60s set fire to two residential buildings in Bongcheon-dong, Seoul, using a makeshift “flamethrower.”
The man, Mr. A, used a container filled with fuel connected to a pesticide sprayer, creating an effective torch-like mechanism to carry out the act.
Mr. A was spotted going around the neighborhood with his makeshift flamethrower on his motorcycle, trying to set different buildings on fire; A picture of Mr. A torching an exterior wall/a pile of garbage near the exterior wall of one of the buildings has since circulated online, showing him wearing a hat and a mask to conceal his identity.
This building was where Mr. A’s mother lived and was a place where he frequently stayed. Thanks to the swift response from the fire department, no casualties occurred. However, he moved on to an apartment complex located not too far—setting more life-threatening fires.
It was later confirmed that Mr. A died in the apartment complex fire that he started, while two women in their 70s and 80s who lived on the fourth floor suffered severe injuries after falling while engulfed in flames. Including residents who inhaled smoke or experienced respiratory distress, the total number of injured amounts to 13.
It was also confirmed that Mr. A had left behind a will.
Considering the method and tools used, the arson is being seen as premeditated. According to the police and other sources, Mr. A lived on the third floor of the apartment where the fire occurred until the end of 2024 and had experienced conflicts over noise between floors with the upstairs neighbor, Mrs. B.
During the Chuseok holiday in September 2024, Mr. A went to the upstairs neighbor’s unit, where Mrs. B’s entire family had gathered, and picked a fight, which escalated into a physical altercation with the neighbor’s son. Although the police were dispatched afterward, both parties submitted a statement of non-punishment, so no criminal charges were filed. Mrs. B is reportedly one of the two women severely injured.
This incident is expected to be recorded as the second worst apartment tragedy since the arson-murder case committed in 2019 which left 5 dead and 17 injured.
Stay tuned for more updates.