A huge fire has broken out in Seoul's last shanty town, Guryong Village, located on the fringe of the upmarket Gangnam district. The blaze, which erupted at around 5am local time on Friday, sent hundreds of firefighters into action as authorities raised the fire alert to the second-highest level.
Despite initial fears that the fire might spread to a nearby mountain, no casualties have been reported so far, and dozens of residents who fled their homes were forced to evacuate. The scene was chaotic, with elderly residents wearing face masks struggling to cope with the smoke-filled air.
A total of 85 fire trucks were deployed to tackle the blaze, but a firefighting helicopter was grounded due to poor visibility. The ramshackle housing in the village, which formed in the 1970s and 1980s, is notoriously vulnerable to fires, according to an assessment by the fire department after a similar incident last year.
"It was like sleeping on top of the volcano," said Kim Ok-im, a 69-year-old resident who had lived in the area for nearly three decades. "I ran out and saw the flames already spreading." The area is home to around 336 households, with most residents having long since moved out due to the area's notorious reputation.
Guryong Village is a stark reminder of Seoul's troubled history of displacement and gentrification. As the capital underwent major redevelopment for the Asian Games and the Seoul Olympics, low-income residents were forced to move to the outskirts of Gangnam without permits. The makeshift homes in Guryong are often densely packed together and built with highly flammable materials, making them particularly susceptible to fires.
The fire has highlighted the ongoing struggle for affordable housing in Seoul, where the divide between wealth and poverty is starkly apparent. As the city continues to evolve and modernize, residents of Guryong Village face a daunting reality: their homes are literally burning, but their fight for survival remains far from over.
Despite initial fears that the fire might spread to a nearby mountain, no casualties have been reported so far, and dozens of residents who fled their homes were forced to evacuate. The scene was chaotic, with elderly residents wearing face masks struggling to cope with the smoke-filled air.
A total of 85 fire trucks were deployed to tackle the blaze, but a firefighting helicopter was grounded due to poor visibility. The ramshackle housing in the village, which formed in the 1970s and 1980s, is notoriously vulnerable to fires, according to an assessment by the fire department after a similar incident last year.
"It was like sleeping on top of the volcano," said Kim Ok-im, a 69-year-old resident who had lived in the area for nearly three decades. "I ran out and saw the flames already spreading." The area is home to around 336 households, with most residents having long since moved out due to the area's notorious reputation.
Guryong Village is a stark reminder of Seoul's troubled history of displacement and gentrification. As the capital underwent major redevelopment for the Asian Games and the Seoul Olympics, low-income residents were forced to move to the outskirts of Gangnam without permits. The makeshift homes in Guryong are often densely packed together and built with highly flammable materials, making them particularly susceptible to fires.
The fire has highlighted the ongoing struggle for affordable housing in Seoul, where the divide between wealth and poverty is starkly apparent. As the city continues to evolve and modernize, residents of Guryong Village face a daunting reality: their homes are literally burning, but their fight for survival remains far from over.
I feel so bad for those people living in Guryong Village... it's like they're paying the price for Seoul's gentrification 
. The fire is devastating, not just physically but also emotionally - think of all those elderly folks struggling to cope with the smoke 
. It's a stark reminder that we need more affordable housing options in this city 
. I'm glad no one was seriously hurt, but it's a miracle that didn't spread to the nearby mountain 
. The fire department did an amazing job getting there quickly though! 
Still, it's just heartbreaking to see another shanty town go up in flames... what's going on with our city's priorities? 
guryong village is literally burning down, but they're still fighting 4 their homes 
meanwhile, the city's all about modernizing & moving forward... whats about the people who are left behind? 
. It's not just a fire, it's a reminder of the struggles of the underprivileged and how they're being pushed out by gentrification 
. We need to do more to help them find affordable housing and make sure their rights are protected 
. The city can't just keep bulldozing through communities like this without any regard for their well-being 
.
, another fire in Guryong Village 
... like, what's new? The gov has been talking about gentrification and affordable housing for ages, but it seems like they're still doing the bare minimum to help these people out 
. I mean, 85 fire trucks? That's a lot of resources going into one fire 
. It's crazy how quickly Seoul moves forward when it comes to development, but leaves its most vulnerable citizens behind 
.
it hurts 2 c elderly ppl struggling w smoke masks, its like they forgot that ppl live here too