Seohae Bridge Fire Kills One Firefighter, Bridge Closed for Repairs

This is a pretty freak fire that has unfortunately taken the life of a Seoul firefighter:

The Seohae Grand Bridge, a major artery connecting southwestern cities and Seoul, was shut down after three of its cables were damaged in a fire Thursday evening.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on Friday that it will suspend use of the bridge through Dec. 24 to replace the cables.

Authorities said one firefighter was killed and two others wounded when they were hit by a snapped cable while battling the blaze.

An official of the ministry said lightning was the cause of the fire.

“Despite the inconvenience, our decision was made for the public’s safety,” the official said at a televised press conference.   [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read the rest at the link.