A 'mortar shell' exploded in a residential area of Gangneung, Gangwon Province.

According to police and fire authorities on the 27th, a report was received stating that there had been a "gas explosion and there are casualties" at a junkyard in Ippam-dong, Gangneung City, Gangwon Province.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, initial extinguishment had been carried out with three fire extinguishers, and the flames had been extinguished.

As a result of the incident, an 84-year-old man sustained serious leg injuries, while an 80-year-old woman and a 61-year-old woman suffered minor injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital.

Additionally, approximately 5 square meters of the junkyard building was burned, resulting in an estimated property damage of 1.3 million won according to the fire station.

An investigation by police and the military explosive ordnance disposal team revealed that the explosion was caused by a 'mortar shell' rather than a gas explosion.

It is presumed that the accident occurred when an 80-year-old man, who often collected and sold junk, dismantled a rusty mortar shell in search of scrap metal.

The impact of the explosion left a deep crater on the ground, and the building's windows were all shattered.

A police official reported that the size of the shell discovered at the scene was approximately 25 to 30 cm.

Currently, police and military authorities are investigating the exact type and specifications of the shell while also looking into how the explosive device entered the junkyard.

Image source: Photo provided by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Fire Department.