[News Today] 3 residents killed in apartment fire

[LEAD]
A massive fire broke out last night in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Gyeonggi-do Province.

The blaze was extinguished in about an hour and a half, but three residents died, and more than 60 were injured.

[REPORT]
Black smoke envelopes an entire apartment building.

Red flames surge in the pilotis area where the parking lot is located.

Sounds of cars exploding can be heard.

Boom! Boom!

The fire on a 10-story apartment in Soha-dong in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do Province occurred at around 9:10 p.m. Thursday.

Lee Sang-yoon / Resident
I was watching TV when outside the window, a man was shouting there’s fire, told us to come down quickly. So I came down and then the fire really caught on.

Three residents in their 60s found in cardiac arrest have died.

Around 20 other people were taken to hospital after sustaining serious injuries such as burns all over their bodies, while some 40 residents have been treated for inhaling toxic gas.

Hong Geon-pyo / Gwangmyeong Fire Station
The combustion was rapid followed by large amounts of smoke, leading to a considerable number of casualties.

Some 20 other residents who evacuated to the rooftop to escape the fast-spreading smoke were later rescued.

Nearby resident
Those who went up to the rooftop shined their phone lights so rescuers could see them.

The fire is believed to have started from the pilotis-structured parking lot on the first floor.

Nearby apartment janitor (VOICE MODIFIED)
Electric wires melting from the ceiling dropped on cars, accelerating the flames. Blaze from the ceiling spread to vehicles.

Through joint forensics, fire authorities are expected to determine whether the apartment’s sprinkler system and fire alarms properly operated.