Warehouse Fire Rages for Over 37 Hours; Residents Suffer from Smoke

[Anchor]

A fire that broke out at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon yesterday morning (July 18) has been burning for over 37 hours. Firefighting efforts are proving difficult as the affected floors are filled with highly flammable items, such as household goods. Nearby residents are also suffering from the constant plumes of thick smoke.

We begin with our first report from Lee Se-hyeon.

[Reporter]

Black smoke billows out from the building.

Firefighters are spraying water using ladder trucks, but the smoke only intensifies.

Steel structures from the outer wall have been scorched black and are scattered on the ground.

The fire, which started at the Coupang logistics center in Seo-gu, Incheon, at 6:54 a.m. yesterday, has been burning for more than 37 hours.

Residents are experiencing discomfort due to the smoke and the ongoing closure of nearby roads.

[Yoon Jae-hoon / Seo-gu, Incheon: If I leave the windows open, there is a stinging smell. I even wore a mask when I came out, and it is extremely severe.]

The fire, which began on the 6th floor, spread to the 7th floor along the outer wall. Fire authorities are struggling to extinguish the blaze because large quantities of flammable materials, such as household goods, are stored on those floors.

[Jeon Jae-in / Disaster Response Chief, Incheon Seo-bu Fire Station: It is a large warehouse with a three-tier rack structure, and a large amount of combustible material is stored inside. The high-temperature, dense smoke is making it extremely difficult to secure visibility and for our personnel to enter.]

The fire authorities, who issued a national firefighting mobilization order nine hours after the fire began, have deployed 721 personnel and 228 pieces of equipment, focusing on preventing the fire from spreading to other floors.

Some analysts suggest that if the wind picks up overnight, there is a possibility that the fire could spread to a nearby petrochemical complex, which would increase the scale of the damage.

[Baek Seung-ju / Professor of Fire and Disaster Prevention, Open Cyber University: You can see petrochemical tanks right across the street. Even a single spark could create a dangerous situation. It is concerning because it is impossible to defend the entire area.]

Immediately after the fire broke out, all 121 employees at the logistics center on the 6th floor evacuated, resulting in no casualties. However, two firefighters were transported to the hospital for treatment after suffering from smoke inhalation and exhaustion during the firefighting process.

Fire authorities stated, "We are investigating the cause of the fire and expect to bring the main blaze under control by around 11:00 p.m."

Reported by Choi Dae-woong | Video edited by Lee Sang-min
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.