The story of a firefighter who died while conducting rescue operations at a frozen-storage warehouse fire in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, has prompted tributes across online communities.
On April 16, the fiancée of the late firefighter No Tae-young (30), who had been due to marry in October, posted a heart-rending message on social media, calling him "my foolishly kind husband" and saying "I love you" isn't enough.
She wrote, "How hot it must have been, how frightening and terrifying. I'm still stuck on the morning of April 12. When I received the missing-person notice my chest tightened and my world collapsed." Recalling his sense of duty, she added, "Even though he had a family, he always said he'd be the first to go in and the last to come out."
"All I have left are memories of how good he's been to me over the past three years, and that makes this even harder," she continued. "If he'd had flaws, I could have blamed them, but there is only regret. Even knowing how this would end, I'd choose him again. Thank you for giving me the happiest moments of my life. I'll come to see you often. I love you, my husband. I love you still."
The post drew more than 1,300 condolence comments, including "We will remember him for a long time," "Rest in peace," and "It breaks my heart to hear she'd choose him again even knowing the outcome."
On April 12 at about 8:25 a.m., firefighters responded to a blaze at a frozen-storage warehouse in Gunoe-myeon, Wando County. During the operation, Firefighter No Tae-young and Fire Captain Park Seung-won re-entered the building to rescue people still inside, became trapped, and were later found dead by responding crews.
Park, who died alongside No, was a father of three—one son and two daughters. At his funeral on April 14 at the Wando Farmers and Fishermen Culture and Sports Center, his high school son called him "my hero, a truly wonderful man," and vowed, "I'll take care of Mom and my two sisters as the head of the household. I'll be the kind of quiet, dependable provider Dad was—please watch over me." His remarks moved attendees to tears.
The government posthumously honored the two firefighters with the Okjo Geunjeong Medal.
