Hwaseong massage parlor fire leaves one dead and two injured

A fire broke out at a massage parlor located on the second floor of a commercial building in Yanggam-myeon, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of September 23. The blaze was reported around 8:00 AM, prompting the deployment of 73 firefighters and 27 pieces of equipment.

Three female employees in their 50s were injured in the incident. One woman was found dead inside the establishment, while another was rescued in cardiac arrest and rushed to a nearby hospital. A third woman sustained minor injuries from smoke inhalation and is receiving treatment.

Preliminary police investigations suggest that one of the exits at the end of the hallway was locked from the inside, which may have hindered evacuation. One survivor reported attempting to open the locked door as the fire spread but was unable to do so, eventually escaping through another exit. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire and checking whether the establishment was operating illegally.