Dozens rescued after fire engulfs building in South Korea's Seongnam

A blaze and thick smoke engulfed an eight-storey building in the South Korean city of Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Friday (January 3), with the fire department saying 12 people had been sent to hospital for smoke inhalation. Footage released by the Gyeonggi-do Fire Department showed black smoke billowing from the busy commercial building, while photographs showed a floor covered with water inside it. About 30 people who were trapped in the building have been safely rescued, the fire department said. A total of 82 firefighting vehicles were deployed to bring the blaze under control after the fire started in a restaurant on the ground floor of the building, which also housed a swimming pool where children take lessons. — Reuters