2019 Goseong fire

{{short description|Wildfire in South Korea}}

{{Infobox wildfire

| title = 2019 Goseong fire

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| cost = $4.6 million USD

| injuries = 30

| fatalities = 2

| reference = {{cite web|title=Goseong Fire 2019|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2019/04/694_266763.html|newspaper=The Korea Times|date=7 April 2019 |accessdate=18 May 2019}}

| date ={{Start date|2019|04|04}} – {{End date|2019|04|06}}

| location = Goseong County, South Korea

| coordinates =

| area = {{convert|1260|acre|km2|1}}

| cause = High-voltage power line

| landuse =

| perps =

| buildings = Over 2,000

| motive =

}}

The 2019 Goseong fire was a fire in Goseong County, South Korea that lasted from 4 April to 6 April, 2019. It spread to the cities of Sokcho, Inje, Donghae and Gangneung and caused two deaths, more than 30 injuries, and the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents.{{cite news|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/04/281_266701.html |title="Massive wildfire wreaks havoc on Gangwon towns" |newspaper=The Korea Times|date=4 April 2019|access-date=18 May 2019}}

The cause of the fire was an extra high-voltage wire owned by KEPCO that fell due to high winds which led to an electric arc.{{cite news|url=http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=144583 |title="Electric Arc Believed to Have Caused Goseong Mountain Fires" |newspaper=KBS World Radio|date=19 April 2019|accessdate=18 May 2019}} On April 20, 2023 KEPCO was found to be liable for the fire and ordered to pay $6.6 million (USD) to evacuees. In January 2023, seven current and former KEPCO employees were acquitted of charges related to safety failures.

{{cite news|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/04/20/national/socialAffairs/kepco-Goseong-county-Gangwon-fire/20230420152400966.html|title="Kepco ordered to pay 8.7 billion won for 2019 wildfire" |newspaper=Korea JoongAng Daily|date= April 2023|accessdate=19 April 2024}}

The fire damaged more than 200 homes and more than 2,000 buildings causing estimated damages of $4.6 million (USD).{{cite news|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2019/04/694_266763.html |title="KEPCO may face damage suit for forest fire in Gangwon Province" |newspaper=The Korea Times|date=7 April 2019|accessdate=18 May 2019}} More than 13,000 firefighters were mobilized from other parts of the country to fight the fire.{{cite news|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190405000240 |title="S. Korea struggles to battle worst wildfire on its soil in years" |newspaper=The Korean Herald|date=5 April 2019|accessdate=18 May 2019}}

The captain of the South Korea national football team, Heung-Min Son donated $124,600 (USD) to victims of the fire{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Sungmo |title=Tottenham star Son Heung-min donates £100k to South Korean fire victims |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/tottenham-star-son-heung-min-donates-100k-to-south-korean/1508bpb165i1b109fz9lrsb9qt |access-date=5 March 2022 |work=Goal |date=15 April 2019}}