South Korea's Subway Disaster

How could a blaze started by an arsonist cause over 120 deaths in a South Korean subway?

1 minute read

February 19, 2003, 10:00 AM PST

Although construction on the subway trains in the city of Taegu began in 1991, they had no sprinklers, and fixtures were made of flammable material. Doors slammed shut soon after the fire erupted, and emergency lights quickly failed. Plunged into darkness, trapped passengers were unable to find escape routes and rescue workers were unable to find the frantic victims... The heat was so intense that the subway was transformed into an underground incinerator, with fixtures of the trains simply melting away."

Thanks to Laura Kranz

FULL STORY: Subway Disaster Raises Safety Questions

Wednesday, February 19, 2003 in The Los Angeles Times

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