<div>Six workers died and 25 others were injured in a fire at a hotel construction site in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan on Friday, authorities said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>The fire started at the Banyan Tree hotel under construction at approximately 10.50 am, presumably from insulating material loaded near a swimming pool on the first floor of one of the three buildings on the site, according to the Busan firefighting headquarters.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>The flames were mostly extinguished by around 1.30 pm, firefighters said.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>"When we arrived at the scene, black smoke had filled the interior of the building," Park Heung-mo, a rescue official with the Busan firefighting agency, said at a press briefing.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>"The deceased were found at the location where the fire broke out, and it's presumed they weren't able to escape because there was a lot of flammable material near the exit," he said.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Firefighters rescued those trapped inside using helicopters, but six were later pronounced dead. Fourteen others were safely rescued from the roof, while more than a hundred workers were evacuated.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>"We're currently searching the interior of the building," another firefighting official said. "Police and the local government are determining the exact number of workers (who were inside)," he added.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Construction for the luxury resort hotel began in April 2022, and its opening was scheduled for the first half of this year.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Police said they have launched an investigation into the cause of the blaze.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Earlier, authorities raised the fire response level to Level 2 of the three-tier system amid concerns over rising casualties.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Hundreds of workers were reportedly near the site when the fire broke out, Yonhap news agency reported.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered the mobilization of all available personnel and equipment to assist in the rescue efforts.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>"Ensure thorough search and rescue operations to prevent any casualties while prioritising the safety of firefighters," Choi said.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><em><strong>&mdash;IANS</strong></em></div>

Smoke billowing out of the hotel due to the fire

Construction site of hotel turned into inferno; cops to investigate cause

South Korea: 6 Dead, 25 Injured in Busan Hotel Fire

Construction site of hotel turned into inferno; cops to investigate cause

February 14, 2025 | 15:23 IST