Elderly woman dies in Jeju restaurant fire

An 80-year-old woman died after a fire erupted at a restaurant in Jeju City early on Saturday morning. The blaze was reported by a passerby who noticed flames and smoke emanating from the establishment and alerted authorities.

Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene in Nohyeong-dong. Firefighters discovered the elderly woman inside the restaurant. The fire was completely extinguished approximately 26 minutes after the initial report, at 5:19 a.m.

Two other individuals, identified as family members in their 60s, were sleeping in the restaurant at the time of the fire. They were able to evacuate safely before the fire was put out. The deceased woman was also reportedly sleeping within the premises.

Fire authorities are investigating the origin of the fire, which is believed to have started in a rest area located beneath the stairs near the first-floor entrance. A joint investigation with the National Forensic Service is scheduled for Sunday to determine the exact cause of the incident.