Seoul building roof on fire due to trash balloons from North Korea

"A fire broke out on the rooftop of a four-story commercial building in the western district of Seoul at around 9:04 p.m. Sunday (7:04 p.m. Vietnam time)," Seoul's Gangseo Fire Department said on September 16.

The fire department said 15 fire engines and 56 firefighters were deployed and the fire was extinguished within 18 minutes. No injuries were reported. Military and police agencies have collected the balloon and are investigating.

Balloons floated across the border toward South Korea earlier this month. Photo: Yonhap

On the same day, the South Korean military said North Korea released about 120 balloons filled with trash toward the border on the night of September 15, following 50 balloons released a day earlier.

The US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said about 40 balloons were launched from North Korea into South Korea, mainly in the northern province of Gyeonggi and the capital Seoul.

The bags attached to the balloons “mainly contained paper and plastic waste,” the JCS said, adding that they posed no danger to the public.

Earlier this month, timers on trash balloons caused fires, one near an airport and another at a storage unit.

"Some of North Korea's garbage balloons have heat timers that can cause fires if they do not detach properly when the heating wire is activated. The wire is used to separate the garbage bag from the balloon," said JCS spokesman Lee Chang-hyun.

Since May, North Korea has launched more than 5,000 balloons filled with trash toward South Korea, saying it was retaliation for propaganda balloons launched by South Korean activists.

In response, Seoul suspended a tension-reducing military agreement with Pyongyang and restarted some propaganda broadcasts from loudspeakers along the border.

Ngoc Anh (according to AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bong-bay-rac-tu-trieu-tien-gay-hoa-hoan-tren-noc-toa-nha-o-seoul-post312590.html