A local officer said the death toll was likely to rise as more bodies were believed to be inside the burnt-out hulk of the boat which had been carrying 131 people, including three crew.
He said the blaze, at Chungju lake, 120 kilometers southeast of Seoul, had taken an hour to bring under control. He said 22 people had been hospitalized and the remaining passengers had been rescued or escaped the fire. A witness said the fire started in the stern and engulfed the vessel in 10 minutes.
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