WORLD> Asia-Pacific
Fire in S.Korea shooting range kills 10 people
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-14 16:04

SEOUL: At least 10 people, some of them believed to be Japanese tourists, were killed, and seven others injured on Saturday afternoon in a fire at an indoor shooting range in Busan, a southern port city of South Korea, local media quoted police as saying.  

The fire broke out at about 2:26 pm local time at the second-floor indoor shooting range which was located in a five-story building in the second largest city of South Korea, and was quelled at around 3:04 pm, police said.

According to the country's Yonhap News Agency, about seven Japanese are believed to be among those killed and injured. However, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), the biggest television network in South Korea, reported that nine of the victims are Japanese tourists with the other a Korean guide.

The police said most of the victims were believed to have died from severe burns, adding that the death toll is feared to rise, because many of the injured are in critical condition.

The police said they were investigating the cause of the fire, and trying to determine the identity of the victims.

Eyewitnesses told local media that they saw black smoke coming out of the building after a loud bang.