EPA
Forest fire destroyed national treasures like Goun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
A 56 -year -old man is under investigation in South Korea suspected of having started a fire of deadly forest that killed 30 people.
The man, who was not named, interpreted an ancestral rite by a family tomb on a hill in the county of Uiseong, in the province of North Gyeongsang, at the time.
It has been reserved – but not arrested – and will be called for interrogation once the investigation is inquiry on the site completed. He denies the accusations.
On Sunday, officials said that the main fires were finally put under total control – 10 days after their start, causing generalized damage to buildings, including historical temples.
The investigators would have spoken to the daughter of the suspect who would have told them that the fire had started while his father was trying to burn branches of hung tree above the tombs with a cigarette lighter.
According to the Korea Forest Service, the fire burned more than 48,000 hectares – equivalent to around 80% of the size of the Seoul capital.
It also destroyed around 4,000 structures, including houses, factories and a number of national treasures.
Goun Temple – A UNESCO World Heritage Site – was one of the temples destroyed in the fire. It was built in 618 AD and was one of the largest in the province.
Most of the victims were people in sixties and the 1970s.
Watch: the firefighters rush to fight forest fires in South Korea
Fucked by strong and dry winds, fires spread to several cities and counties.
Non -seasonal hot weather, dry conditions and pine forests in the region have also contributed to fueling the flames.
An investigation involving the police, fire authorities and forest management will be carried out next week.
The acting president Han Duck-SOO said that the government would provide financial support to those who have been moved by fires.
