Seoul: South Korean police and fire officers on Sunday investigated what caused a blaze that raced through an indoor shooting gallery killing 10 people, including eight Japanese tourists.
The fire on Saturday occurred in a five-storey building in the southeastern city of Busan, where a group of Japanese tourists visited as part of their tour of the port city, about 200 miles (325 kilometres) from Seoul.
The 10 dead included eight Japanese tourists and their South Korean tour guide, the Busan Fire Department said in a statement. The 10th victim was believed to be a South Korean employee at the shooting range. Six people were also seriously injured.
Department spokesman Lee Young-chul said all 10 bodies were severely burned.
Family members of the deceased Japanese were to arrive in Busan later Sunday, Lee said.
Police and fire officers examined the site Sunday with National Institute of Science Investigation officials, local fire officer Lee Jung-min said.
Yonhap news agency said police focused on restoring footage recorded by seven CCTV cameras inside the building, hoping it would give clues as to what caused the blaze.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, November 15, 2009, 13:08