Fire at Sejong Center for Performing Arts

A fire broke out at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the performing Arts in Chongno-gu, Seoul around 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The fire broke out in the lighting on the center¡¯s stage, where the performance of the new-school musical, ¡°Serenade of Sorrow,¡± was underway, causing uproar as about 1,700 spectators were escaping urgently.

Flames rose suddenly from the halogen lighting in front of the stage and spread to the makeshift stage on the right side. But the center¡¯s own fire-fighting equipment went into operation, extinguishing the fire within 20 minutes after burning out a part of the makeshift stage and lighting facilities.