"Thought It Was a Drill": Workers Rush to Evacuate After "Real Situation" Warning

"Some people thought it was a drill."

Workers who were at the Incheon Coupang logistics center, where a fire has been raging for three days, described the tense moments from the moment the fire alarm sounded until they managed to escape the building.

Worker A, who was on duty at the logistics center when the fire broke out, said, "The fire alarm suddenly went off while I was working," adding, "Up until that point, I couldn't see any fire or smoke, and I didn't smell anything."

According to A, some workers remained calm, assuming the alarm was a malfunction or a drill.

However, shortly after, a security guard shouted, "This is a real situation, evacuate immediately," prompting them to stop what they were doing and head toward the stairwells.

Fortunately, because it was the time between the end of the night shift and the start of the day shift, there were far fewer people on-site than usual.

Worker A stated that they heard the fire started in Zone 4 on the 6th floor (6-4), an area packed with daily necessities.

When the alarm sounded, a control room staff member checked the scene and, upon confirming the fire, alerted the security guards.

It is reported that some security guards and control room staff attempted to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers but failed.

Meanwhile, other security guards went through each floor, shouting "Evacuate!" and guiding the remaining workers to the stairs.

Worker A also described the situation at the time, noting that workers from other floors who were heading down the stairs seemed unaware that it was a real emergency and were walking slowly.

It was only when someone rushing down the stairs from the 6th floor shouted, "This is a real situation, evacuate quickly," that the workers began to hurry.

In the basement level 1 workspace, where fresh products are handled and outside noise is blocked, about 10 people reportedly continued working until a security guard came to find them.

The situation became critical as faint smoke and a pungent odor began to seep into the stairwells before the evacuation was complete, but fortunately, everyone escaped the building without injury.

The fire authorities counted a total of 121 people who evacuated at the time.

Regarding claims that the firewalls (shutters) inside the building did not function properly, Worker A stated, "That is not true."

Worker A explained, "I heard over the radio of a security guard who was evacuating with me that the fire doors and firewalls were operating."

The fire broke out on the 6th floor of the Coupang 32 Logistics Center in Seoknam-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, at 6:54 a.m. on the 18th, and firefighting operations have been ongoing for three days.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.