The fire at the senior citizens' residence broke out shortly before dawn on November 12 in Pohang, a port city on the southeastern coast of the country. 

About 200 firefighters, using at least 20 trucks, battled the blaze, according to state media reports. They stifled the fire within 30 minutes, a South Korean police spokesperson said. 

The fire began on the first floor of the two-story building, the police spokesperson said, adding that authorities have yet to officially determine its cause. 

All of the victims were in their 1970s and 1980s, with the surviving victims being treated at area hospitals, according to police.