Security guard who helped residents flee apartment fire dies; arson suspect faces upgraded charges

A security guard in their 70s who was found in cardiac arrest while helping residents evacuate during an apartment arson has died in hospital.

According to the Gwangju Northern Police Station and other authorities, the guard, identified as A, died Friday around 9 p.m. at a university hospital in the area.

A had been helping residents flee after a fire broke out Wednesday at around 6:33 p.m. at an apartment complex in Unam-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. The guard was subsequently found in cardiac arrest on the 13th floor of the building's emergency stairwell and rushed to hospital.

A remained in a coma for three days without regaining consciousness. Police plan to request an autopsy from the National Forensic Service to determine the exact cause of death.

Police said they will upgrade the charges against arson suspect B, a person in their 40s, from arson of an inhabited building causing injury to arson of an inhabited building causing death. B is accused of deliberately setting fire to a home shared with a parent.

Buk-gu plans to discuss with the Gwangju-South Jeolla integrated special city government the possibility of applying for A to be designated a person of distinguished service — a posthumous honor recognizing those who died while acting for the public good — in recognition of alerting residents to the fire and helping them evacuate.