Former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Park Chan Ho, known for his successful career, has been affected by the large wildfire in Los Angeles, California.
According to sources close to Park on January 10, the wildfire that broke out on January 8 spread rapidly, prompting his wife and family to evacuate to a nearby hotel. However, it is reported that Park is currently staying in South Korea. Based on the wildfire's path, Park’s team believes that their home in Los Angeles has likely been completely destroyed.
A source close to Park stated, "All of his baseball memorabilia has already been moved to South Korea, so there’s no issue there. If the house has indeed burned down, Park plans to rebuild it afterward."
Park Chan Ho played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1994 to 2001. In November 2005, he married Japanese-Korean culinary researcher Park Ri Hye, and they have three daughters. Park had previously shared glimpses of his life with his family in Los Angeles on a television show.
At present, five wildfires are raging simultaneously in Los Angeles, particularly in the northwestern areas. The largest fire, the Palisades Fire, has already engulfed an area approximately 15 times the size of Seoul’s Yeouido (4.5㎢).
The ongoing wildfire has destroyed thousands of buildings, including homes, and forced an evacuation of 180,000 residents. The power supply to 200,000 households has been interrupted. Several Hollywood celebrities were also affected, with their homes either burned or requiring evacuation. Paris Hilton, the heir to the Hilton hotel empire, is one of the notable figures whose home was reportedly damaged by the fire.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that, according to JP Morgan, the economic loss caused by the LA wildfire is estimated to reach $50 billion (approximately 73 trillion KRW) as of now.
SEE ALSO: Authorities prepare for a second attempt to arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol