Arson incident on Seoul subway line 5 forces mass evacuation, suspect in custody

On May 31st, a fire broke out this morning aboard a train on Seoul Subway line 5, prompting a large-scale evacuation and swift police response. The incident occurred around 8:45 a.m. as the train was traveling from Yeouinaru Station toward Mapo Station.

Approximately 400 passengers were forced to evacuate onto the tracks after a male passenger allegedly started the fire. Witnesses described scenes of panic as smoke filled the train and passengers rushed toward the front cars to escape.

“Someone shouted there was a fire, and people started yelling to move forward. A woman screamed, and when I looked over, I saw a liquor container rolling on the floor with gasoline spilling out,” one passenger said. “The suspect looked to be in his mid to late sixties.”

According to police and fire officials, the suspect poured a flammable liquid on clothing and other items before igniting them with a lighter. Although 47 fire trucks were dispatched in response to emergency calls, the fire was successfully extinguished using onboard fire extinguishers before it could spread further.

There were no reports of serious injuries, but 21 passengers who inhaled smoke were taken to nearby hospitals. All were later confirmed to be in stable condition.

Police arrested the suspect approximately 40 minutes after the fire began. He was apprehended near Yeouinaru Station and is now under investigation for arson. Forensic analysis of the scene is ongoing to determine more details about the incident.

Subway service between Yeouido and Aeogae stations was temporarily suspended during the emergency response. Seoul Metro confirmed that normal operations resumed shortly after 10 a.m. Some passengers said the chaos and heavy smoke in the tunnel brought back traumatic memories.

“Everyone ran to the front, but there was nowhere left to go. Smoke was coming in from behind. It reminded me of the Itaewon tragedy, and I was afraid we might get crushed,” a commuter said.

Authorities have announced that a full investigation is underway and that safety measures across the subway network will be reviewed to help prevent similar incidents in the future.