Large fire hits Guryong Village, often called Seoul's last shantytown; no casualties reported

As of 9:11 a.m. ET, Oct. 27, 2026

A large fire broke out Tuesday afternoon in Guryong Village, a shantytown in Seoul's affluent Gangnam district often called the city's last, and no casualties had been reported as of early evening local time, South Korean officials said.

The fire started at about 3:50 p.m. local time (2:50 a.m. ET) in a makeshift building in the village, prompting 39 residents to flee to safety on their own, fire authorities said, according to Yonhap News Agency. No injuries or missing people had been reported, officials said.

Fire authorities issued a level 1 response at 3:59 p.m. and raised it to level 2 at 4:29 p.m. as the fire spread, Yonhap reported. Level 2 mobilizes firefighting resources from neighboring stations across the region.

The response

A total of 232 personnel and 70 pieces of equipment had been sent to the scene, along with six firefighting helicopters deployed to keep the blaze from spreading into a wildfire, Yonhap reported in an update at 6:32 p.m. local time (5:32 a.m. ET). Earlier, Yonhap reported 168 personnel and 51 pieces of equipment, and public broadcaster KBS put the firefighting force at about 210.

KBS reported that Seoul Housing and Communities Corp., the city's housing agency, said residents had been evacuated. The Gangnam Ward office sent a safety text message telling nearby residents to close their windows and drivers to avoid the area. Heavy smoke spread across the district, Yonhap TV reported, and a road beside the village was closed.

President Lee Jae Myung ordered officials to use all available resources to fight the fire and protect residents, and to take steps to keep firefighters safe, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook also ordered an all-out firefighting effort and relief for evacuated residents, Yonhap reported.

About Guryong Village

Several hundred households live in unlicensed structures in the village while disputes continue over compensation for redevelopment, Yonhap TV reported. Fires have broken out there repeatedly; a large fire earlier this year, in January, left about 180 people displaced, according to Yonhap TV and KBS.

What is not known

The cause of the fire has not been determined. Officials say they will investigate the cause and assess the damage once the fire is out. It was not known how many homes have burned, and authorities had not said the fire was contained or extinguished as of the latest reports.