The fire broke out at 6:27 a.m. in Guryong village, located in a luxurious area of Gangnam district, Seoul. The fire was completely extinguished at around 11:46 a.m. the same day.
Shin Yong-ho, a fire official at the Gangnam Fire Station, said the fire covered an area of about 2,700 square meters.
More than 900 firefighters, police and government officials were dispatched to put out the fire and evacuate people.
There are currently about 6,500 households in the village and most of the houses here are paved with planks.
The shabby village is right next to Gangnam - where real estate prices are the most expensive in Korea. Guryong village, which was built in the 1980s as poor people in the area were forced to flee their homes as the city implemented development projects.
Illegally built temporary houses at the foot of Guryong mountain are prone to electrical incidents and fires due to being built with flammable materials.
Since 2009, Guryong village has had at least 16 fires, resulting in 1 death in November 2014.
