A fire broke out on a hillside near the National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, about an hour and a half after polls closed in the local elections.
The Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters said it received a report of a fire near the NEC, with the caller saying flames could be seen halfway up a nearby mountain.
Fire authorities dispatched 11 pieces of equipment and 33 personnel to the scene and arrived at around 7:55 p.m.
They brought the initial blaze under control at around 8:02 p.m. Authorities said they would investigate the cause of the fire after it was fully extinguished.
The incident came as the NEC was scheduled to issue a public apology at 9 p.m. after voting was delayed at several polling stations in Seoul and Incheon due to ballot shortages.
seungku99@heraldcorp.com
