13 Held in Deadly S. Korean Summer Camp Blaze

Six local government officials were taken into police custody today on involuntary homicide and other charges in connection with a dormitory fire that killed 19 children and four adults. The action came a day after seven others were arrested.

Kang Ho-jung, 46, and five others allegedly granted a license to the Sealand Youth Training Center in Hwasung, southwest of Seoul, in November 1997, even though it did not meet safety standards, police said.

Mosquito coils appeared to have sparked the blaze that gutted the camp dormitory early Wednesday, investigators said. The dormitory and most other facilities at the camp were built with cheap, flammable materials.

Among those arrested Saturday was Chun Kyong Ja, who ran the Seoul kindergarten that 18 of the victims attended. She faces charges of involuntary homicide.

Chun, 35, was drinking with her husband and colleagues in another room when the fire started, and the adults did little to rescue the children, police said. All but one of the children were found dead in the same room, many hugging each other.

Also arrested were the camp owner, Park Jae Chun, 40, a teacher and four people who took part in constructing the camp out of shipping containers.