Death toll from shooting range fire in Busan rises to 11

(ATTN: UPDATES with police briefing in paras 4-8)
BUSAN, Nov. 18 (Yonhap) -- The death toll from a blaze at an indoor shooting
range in Busan has risen to 11 after a South Korean victim died while being
treated for severe burns, hospital officials said Wednesday.
Seven of those killed in the blaze were Japanese tourists who visited the
shooting range in a group tour.
The latest victim, 67-year-old Moon Min-ja who was a tour guide, was in
life-threatening condition due to severe burns and died of heart failure, said an
official at Hana Hospital.
Investigators said Wednesday the fire appears to have started from an explosion
in the shooting booths area deep inside the range.
"After carrying out three extensive on-spot investigations, we believe that there
was a huge blast inside the range and that it was the point of the ignition,"
said Kim Young-shik, the chief investigator of the incident, at a press briefing.
But the exact cause of the explosion is still unknown, Kim said.
Police initially said the fire likely started from a sofa at a lounge near the
entrance to the range.
The bodies of the Japanese victims will be transferred to Japan on Thursday,
police said.
brk@yna.co.kr
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