Evacuation Order Issued Over Collapse Concerns; Nearby Elementary School Closes

[Anchor]

The fire that broke out at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon on Saturday morning has yet to be extinguished. Let’s connect with our reporter on the scene.

Reporter Park Yerim, it is taking longer to put out the fire than expected, right?

[Reporter]

Behind me is the Coupang logistics center building where the fire occurred.

Thick black smoke is still billowing from inside the building.

Firefighters have been working to extinguish the blaze throughout the night, but there is still no word that the main fire has been brought under control.

Initially, the fire authorities expected to reach the primary containment stage around 11:00 p.m. last night (July 19).

However, the logistics center has a complex interior filled with flammable materials. Furthermore, around 8:00 p.m. yesterday, the flames on the 6th floor intensified and erupted outside the building, forcing firefighters to evacuate and hindering suppression efforts.

Fire authorities are continuing their work by using excavators to break down parts of the building to create space for spraying water. However, as the interior is filled with smoke, it appears it will take more time to fully extinguish the fire.

[Anchor]

I understand an evacuation order was also issued for residents overnight?

[Reporter]

As experts raised the possibility of a partial building collapse, the Seohae-gu Office issued an evacuation order around 11:00 p.m. last night for residents within a 116-meter radius.

Residents who received emergency disaster text messages overnight were seen evacuating in a state of confusion.

[Nearby Resident: Oh, I am worried to death. My family is sleeping, but I cannot sleep.]

[Oh Soo-hong / Incheon Seohae-gu: I do not know what is going on, with fire trucks blaring their sirens like that....]

The Seohae-gu Office also recommended that 31 nearby daycare centers close for the day today due to health concerns regarding smoke. One nearby elementary school is also scheduled to be closed today.

Reported by Kang Si-woo | Video by Kim Yun-seong
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.