Hotel Fire in Bucheon Kills Seven

A devastating fire at a nine-story hotel in Bucheon, South Korea, resulted in seven fatalities and numerous injuries. The fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault on the eighth floor, was reported around 7:39 PM local time, with all victims found either in their rooms or in stairwells. Two individuals died after jumping from a window onto an air mattress set up by firefighters, which flipped upon impact due to a miscalculation. The hotel, built in 2003, lacked mandated sprinklers in guest rooms, contributing to the extensive damage. Authorities are investigating potential negligence by hotel management and the circumstances surrounding the firefighters' use of the air mattress. Injuries sustained by survivors include serious smoke inhalation, and the fire was extinguished by 10:26 PM.