At least six people died and seven were injured on Friday after a fire broke out at a luxury hotel construction site in South Korea's port city of Busan, the National Fire Agency said.
The blaze broke out just before 11:00 am (0200 GMT) at the Banyan Tree Hotel site, where around 100 workers were present, according to officials. It is believed to have started on the first floor, where insulation materials were stored, a fire department official told reporters.
South Korea’s acting president Choi Sang-mok directed authorities to take urgent measures, saying, "Every effort must be made to prevent casualties during search and rescue operations, while also ensuring the safety of firefighters." He also instructed officials to "fully mobilise all available personnel and equipment to extinguish the fire," the finance ministry said.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by around 1:30 pm. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the extent of the damage.
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