Smoke surrounds the Coupang logistics center in Seohae District, Incheon, on July 20 following a fire.NEWS1
A massive fire that broke out at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon on Saturday was brought under control on Monday 8 p.m. after more than 61 hours, according to the Incheon Fire Department.
The blaze erupted on Saturday at 6:54 a.m. at the eight-story building in Seohae District, Incheon, which has a total floor area of about 299,000 square meters (3.2 million square feet).
All 121 workers inside the building were evacuated safely. Authorities later issued an evacuation order for nearby residents due to the risk of the building collapsing, and about 200 people have been staying at temporary shelters.
Fire authorities initially raised the response to Level 1 and then Level 2 before issuing a nationwide mobilization order that brought in firefighters and equipment from eight neighboring cities and provinces.
Despite the broad deployment of personnel, fire authorities struggled to contain the blaze due to the large amount of combustible materials stored inside the warehouse and the building's complex layout. Two firefighters were hospitalized after suffering smoke inhalation and exhaustion. As the operation stretched into a third day, authorities installed three structural monitoring devices inside the building to track the potential for collapse.
A total of 845 personnel and 239 fire trucks and other apparatuses were deployed over three days of round-the-clock firefighting operations. Crews are continuing to extinguish remaining hot spots under the current emergency response level.
Fire authorities work to fight a fire at the Coupang logistics center located in Seohae District, Incheon, on July 20.NEWS1
Attention is now turning to what sparked the fire, with authorities preparing a joint investigation with police and other agencies.
The investigation is expected to include investigators from the Incheon Fire Department and Incheon Seobu Fire Station as well as the National Forensic Service, the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency's forensic unit and the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation.
The joint investigation team will begin its examination when the building is deemed safe to enter. The inspection will focus on the sixth floor of Building B, where the fire is believed to have started. Investigators also plan to collect evidence, such as CCTV footage and fire alarm system records.
Police have launched a dedicated task force to investigate the fire. The team includes detectives from the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency’s metropolitan investigation division and serious industrial accidents investigation unit.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
