South Korean police have arrested the owner and the manager of a building where 29 people died in a fire last week, accusing the pair of multiple safety lapses, including blocked exits and malfunctioning sprinkler systems.
On Thursday a fire ripped through an eight-storey high rise in the small city of Jecheon. At least 20 of the victims were women who were overcome by toxic fumes in a second-floor sauna.
Jecheon police have only identified the owner by his last name of Lee, and the manager by his last name of Kim.
Both men are in custody in Jecheon after being arrested on Sunday, police announced Tuesday.
Lee faces two charges of violating fire safety regulations and committing involuntary homicide by professional negligence, while Kim also faces the involuntary homicide charge.
Photos released by the Yonhap news agency showed a smoke-stained stairwell and a fire exit filled with shelves and supplies on the second floor, where most of the deaths occurred.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the conflagration.
Anger mounted over the weekend at reports of shoddy construction, broken doors, blocked roads and other problems that may have contributed to the deaths.
Visiting the scene on Friday, President Moon Jae-in promised a full investigation.
"The government as a whole will thoroughly probe this accident's cause and process of response, and although after the fact, the investigation and measures will be such that, at least, there will not be lingering deep sorrow," he said.
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