▲ Fire at a shoe warehouse in Unyang-dong, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province
"I was shocked to see bright red pillars of fire shooting up into the sky."
A fire that broke out yesterday (June 23) at a shoe warehouse in Unyang-dong, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, quickly spread to adjacent factories and warehouses, spewing flames and thick black smoke.
Witnesses described the scene as looking like massive pillars of fire as the prefabricated factory and warehouse buildings were engulfed by the intense blaze.
The black smoke rising from the scene was so dense that it was clearly visible even in Seo-gu, Incheon, more than 13 kilometers away.
To make matters worse, the "Gimpo Furniture Complex," a dense cluster of furniture stores, is located right next to the fire site, raising concerns that the situation could escalate into a major disaster if the fire were not contained.
As the flames proved difficult to control, fire authorities issued a Level 2 emergency response, mobilizing personnel and equipment from five to six nearby fire stations to focus on preventing the fire from spreading further.
Firefighting helicopters flew back and forth incessantly to drop water on the scene, while dozens of fire engines worked to suppress the blaze.
A firefighter on the scene noted that a potential catastrophe was narrowly avoided as the wind was not blowing in the direction of the furniture complex.
Fortunately, there were no casualties. However, four workers from the warehouse where the fire started, along with about 70 other employees from nearby factories and warehouses, had to evacuate in a hurry.
The buildings, once engulfed by the flames, were left in a devastating state after the fire was brought under control.
The outer walls were completely incinerated, leaving the structures unrecognizable or reduced to bare skeletons, resembling ruins.
Nearby factory owners, who had been watching the firefighting efforts with bated breath, let out sighs of relief once the flames were largely contained.
A man in his 50s surnamed Park, who operates a factory about 50 meters from the fire site, said, "At first, the flames were so intense that it felt like they would burn everything in the vicinity. I was anxious and hoping it would be extinguished quickly so it wouldn't spread this way."
Kim, 49, a worker who watched the scene, said, "I was shocked by how fierce the flames were; I could even feel the heat on my face. It would have been a huge disaster if it had spread to the nearby furniture complex, so it is a great relief that it didn't."
The fire, which began at the shoe warehouse in Unyang-dong, caused damage to multiple buildings across eight different businesses.
Fire authorities deployed 64 pieces of equipment and 267 personnel, including firefighters and police officers, to extinguish the blaze.
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