South Korean police are set to interrogate a 56-year-old man suspected of starting one of the wildfires that ravaged the country’s southern regions, resulting in 30 deaths and over 1,19,000 acres of land being burned.
The North Gyeongsang provincial police department stated that the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, may have ignited the fire while clearing overgrown grass at a family grave on a hill in Uiseong, a severely affected area by the wildfires.
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Police investigators inspected the grave site on the morning of Monday, March 31, 2025, and are planning to question the man soon. The police department has not indicated if others will also be investigated for potential connections to the wildfires, believed to have been caused by multiple human errors such as burning trash and sparks from welding activities.
Fueled by dry and windy conditions, the wildfires blazed for a week, causing extensive destruction to thousands of homes and leaving mountains covered in ash before firefighters, assisted by rain, managed to bring them under control on Friday, March 28, 2025.
The casualties, mostly aged 60 and above, include a pilot who died in a helicopter crash during firefighting operations, as well as four firefighters and other individuals who perished after being trapped by rapidly spreading flames. Additionally, at least 45 individuals sustained injuries, with nine in critical condition.
The fires resulted in the damage or destruction of over 6,000 structures, including more than 1,000 homes in both Andong and Yeongdeok, and over 330 homes in Uiseong.
In Uiseong, around 20 out of 30 structures at the Gounsa temple complex were affected by the fires. Among them were two state-designated “treasures”: a pavilion dating back to 1668 overlooking a stream, and a Joseon dynasty structure built in 1904 to commemorate a king’s long life.
Published – March 31, 2025 01:00 pm IST
