Arson suspect dies after setting fire to apartment building following noise complaints

A man in his 60s has died in a suspected arson attack in Seoul’s Bongcheon-dong. Authorities revealed the man had a history of conflicts with neighbors over noise issues.

According to police, the suspect, identified only as Mr. A, set multiple fires near his residence using a makeshift flamethrower with a pesticide sprayer before igniting a larger blaze on the fourth floor of an apartment building on April 21. Mr. A was later found dead at the scene.

Investigations revealed that Mr. A had lived on the third floor of the same apartment building until November 2024. During his time there, he was reportedly involved in numerous disputes with his upstairs neighbors over noise complaints. In September 2024, police were dispatched following a 112 emergency call related to one of these altercations.

One resident said, "I saw the police in the hallway. They told me there had been a noise dispute with the upstairs neighbor."

The apartment’s management office confirmed that Mr. A had filed multiple complaints during his six-month stay. One of the staff members stated, "He submitted about ten complaints, claiming it was too noisy upstairs."

After moving out in November, Mr. A relocated to a villa approximately 1.5 kilometers away, where he lived with his mother. However, similar issues reportedly continued. Residents said Mr. A reacted sensitively to everyday sounds, including neighbors’ conversations and construction noise, leading to frequent outbursts and arguments.

One villa resident said, "During construction, he couldn’t sleep and would yell profanities out the window daily for months."

Police are now working to determine Mr. A’s motive, stating that a forensic inspection of the fire scene is scheduled for tomorrow. Investigators plan to interview residents from both the apartment and the villa for further insight.

Authorities also confirmed that Mr. A had previously been diagnosed with depression. They are currently investigating whether he had been taking any psychiatric medication at the time of the incident.