Police continue investigation of deadly Busan fire

BUSAN/SEOUL, Nov. 15 (Yonhap) -- Police investigating a fire that took 10 lives,
including eight Japanese tourists, were still looking into the cause of the blaze
at an indoor shooting range in the southern port city of Busan.
The fire broke out Saturday afternoon with a group of Japanese being trapped
inside the shooting range where they were visiting as part of a sightseeing
program. The group had come to Busan earlier Saturday on a two-day trip.
Busan is South Korea's largest port city and one of the most popular destinations
for Japanese tourists due in part to its proximity to Japan.
Police said the death toll may rise as some of six injured were in critical
condition from severe burns.
"Officials from the National Institute of Scientific Investigation, the Busan
Metropolitan Police Agency and related agencies have carried out their second
on-site examination to find out exactly from where and how the fire started," Lee
Gap-hyeong, head of the Busan Jungbu Police Station, said.
Investigators were also in the process of restoring footage from seven
closed-circuit televisions from the range.
"At this stage, it is difficult to even speculate on the cause of the fire. We'll
have to wait for the results of the preliminary on-site investigation," a police
official said.
Fire authorities had reportedly warned owners of the shooting range during a
recent inspection of potential dangers because of the large amount of soundproof
material at the facility that would produce a heavy toxic fume in case of fire.
Meanwhile, 36 family members of the Japanese victims from the fire were to arrive
in Busan in the afternoon.
The foreign ministry in Seoul said the South Korean government set up a task
force to provide legal and administrative support for the families and the
investigation.
"The ministry will help the families through our embassy in Tokyo and contact
with the Japanese consulate in Busan," a senior official at the ministry said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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