Seoul (South Korea) - Horrible. A 61-year-old man is said to have set fire to a 21-storey apartment building in the South Korean capital Seoul with a flamethrower out of frustration. At least 13 people were injured, some of them seriously. The arsonist is dead. He left behind a suicide note.

The 61-year-old repeatedly caused trouble in the building, threatened the neighbors and is also said to have struck. On Monday morning, the 21-storey tower block in the Bongcheon-dong district was on fire.

Pictures show the man on the ramp to the fourth floor wielding a weed burner. A jet of flame bursts from the device. A short time later, thick smoke billows out of the high-rise building.

As reported by the Yonhap news agency, two elderly residents were seriously injured, suffering burns all over their bodies and throwing themselves out of the burning building in desperation. Their condition was described as critical. 11 other residents were also injured and six people suffered smoke inhalation.

After an hour and a half, the fire department had extinguished the fire. They found the body of the 61-year-old in the hallway on the fourth floor and discovered a suicide note in his apartment on the third floor, reports the Chosunnewspaper . "I am sorry. Please take care of mother," it said.

Meanwhile, residents report dramatic scenes.

"I was having breakfast when I suddenly heard a loud bang outside at around 8:20. When I looked, there was a fire on the fourth floor. I saw someone there and shouted, 'Jump out!' An elderly lady who lived there fell down the aerial line," a neighbor told Chosun. "It felt like a bomb had gone off. I thought the boiler room had exploded," said another neighbor.

The firebug is said to have repeatedly caused trouble in the house, according to the JoongAng newspaper. The man is said to have regularly hit water pipes with a hammer. Last September, he is said to have attacked a resident on the top floor.

The investigation is ongoing.

TAG24 does not normally report on (possible) suicides and self-harm. However, as the incident took place in a public space, the editorial team decided to make it a topic after all.

If you are affected by suicidal thoughts yourself, you can contact the telephone counseling service around the clock, anonymously of course. Telephone counseling: 08001110111 or 08001110222 or 08001110116123 or at www.telefonseelsorge.de.