Coupang Logistics Center Fire Fully Extinguished Four Days After Breaking Out

[Anchor]

The fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon has been completely extinguished. Firefighters faced difficulties in putting out the blaze due to the large amount of combustible materials stored inside and the complex structure of the building. The fire was finally put out four days after it broke out.

Reporter Yun Nara has the details.

[Reporter]

The Incheon Fire Headquarters announced that the fire at the Coupang 32 Logistics Center in Seoknam-dong, Incheon, was completely extinguished at around 8:35 PM last night (the 22nd).

This comes four days, or about 109 hours and 40 minutes, after the fire first broke out.

Due to the fire, 121 people, including employees inside the logistics center, evacuated on their own, resulting in no casualties. However, two firefighters received hospital treatment for smoke inhalation and exhaustion during the firefighting operations.

The fire started at around 6:54 AM on the 18th on the 6th floor of the Coupang logistics center, an 8-story building above ground with a total floor area of 299,000 square meters, and spread to the upper floors.

The fire authorities faced difficulties in extinguishing the fire due to the large amount of combustible materials stored inside and the complex building structure. After 61 hours, they succeeded in containing the fire at 8 PM on the 20th and have since been conducting operations to put out remaining embers.

Fire authorities particularly focused on preventing the fire from spreading to the 5th and 4th floors just below the 6th floor, where hundreds of robots equipped with lithium batteries are located.

More than 200 residents are still taking shelter at three evacuation centers, including nearby elementary and middle schools.

Worried about smoke and dust filling their homes and the possibility of the fire reigniting, residents chose to stay at the shelters instead of returning home.

[Yang Soon-rye / Evacuation Center Resident : There is a acrid smell built up in the house. It burns like red pepper powder was sprinkled in my throat, like a burn, and it makes me cough. It stings and everything. It hurts.]

[Evacuation Center Resident : (Staying at home) makes me anxious, so I can only sleep about two hours a day. I end up going outside and walking around to check on things.]

As residents' return home is delayed, the Seo-gu Office in Incheon plans to continue operating the evacuation centers for the time being.

(Video Editing: Choi Hye-ran)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.