S. Korean president visits site of building fire claiming 29 lives

SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday made a surprise visit to the site suffering from a building fire that claimed 29 lives the previous day.

Moon arrived at about 2:00 p.m. local time in the burnt eight-story building in Jecheon city, some 170 km southeast of capital Seoul.

Moon was briefed on damage situations, ordering officials to focus on follow-up measures to minimize casualties.

The fire, which started Thursday afternoon from a parking lot on the first floor, engulfed the entire building rapidly, claiming 29 lives and injuring 29 others.

The building accommodates a fitness center, a public sauna and restaurants. Most of the casualties occurred in the public sauna on the second and third floors.

On Thursday, President Moon expressed his sadness over the accident, instructing the interior minister to minimize casualties. The interior minister went to the scene Thursday, and the government launched the disaster management center at the scene.

The building was believed to be built of finishing materials prone to fire and of interior materials discharging toxic gas, increasing the number of death toll. Enditem