New | At least 7 killed as fire hits South Korea bus station

A fire at a bus terminal near Seoul today left at least seven people dead and 20 others injured, emergency officials said.

The fire was suspected to have started during welding works at a construction site at the basement of the terminal building in Goyang, just north of Seoul, local emergency officials said.

The fire left two injured seriously and the rest lightly, the officials said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules.

Yonhap news agency, citing no source, said the dead people were mostly found at a toilet near the construction site.

Firefighters were quoted by local media as saying the welding works were being done at a snack bar in the underground shopping centre, near the Goyang Express Bus Terminal.

The fire started at 9.05am and lasted for around 25 minutes. The exact cause is still under investigation.