TRAGIC DEATH OF THREE FAMILY MEMBERS

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The tragic deaths of a family of three that lived in a semi-basement apartment in Gwanak-gu District of Seoul was devastating for many. KBS has acquired the details of reports of the flash flood and the timeline of the rescue workers' operation. Rescue workers who were the first to arrive at the scene were unable to do anything for about half an hour. It was two and a half hours after the initial report that a rescue team equipped with necessary equipment finally arrived. Here's more on what happened that night.

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Two women in their 40s and a teenage girl were trapped in a semi-basement apartment on Aug. 8 due to heavy downpour in Seoul. They tried to contact the rescue service but to no avail. The women called their elderly mother, who was not at home at the time, to let her know about the emergency, and the latter asked her acquaintance to call 119. The initial report was received at 8:59 p.m. The person who called 119 notified the rescue service of the apartment address and said it was flooded and there were two women and a girl inside who could not open the exit door. The fire department ordered the rescue team in charge of the area to mobilize, but all of the rescue workers had already been dispatched to other areas because of the torrential rains. A rescue team from another area agreed to help. It arrived at the scene 47 minutes after the initial report, but it couldn't do anything to save the family and left the scene half an hour later.

[Soundbite] (Fire Department Staff (VOICE MODIFIED)) : "Special equipment is needed to remove the steel bars on the windows, but the rescue team didn’t have it at the time."

At 10:46 p.m. a second report was received. It said the apartment was completely flooded and there were still people trapped inside, but no rescue teams had arrived. The situation room staff promised to dispatch workers as soon as possible. About ten minutes later, a special rescue squad was ordered to mobilize, but it was also rescuing people in another area. A team with necessary equipment finally arrived after one of the family's neighbors called 119 again at 11:14 p.m. That was 151 minutes after the initial report. When the family members were finally pulled outside, all three were already dead. Fire departments in Seoul received more than ten thousand reports of flash floods between 4 p.m. Aug. 8 and midnight, when Seoul was hit by over 100mm of precipitation per hour. Rescue workers tried their best, but now it's clear command centers have flaws in mobilizing rescue teams efficiently.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Young-joo(University of Seoul) : "Authorities should find out if the request for help was delivered properly and rescue workers in areas where such disasters are less likely should be mobilized when necessary in a more efficient way."

When it comes to emergencies, every life matters. However, the emergency response system must be overhauled so that rescue workers are dispatched first to places where they are needed the most.