Fire Continues at Coupang Logistics Center; Residents Evacuated Over Collapse Fears

[Anchor]

A massive fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon has been burning for three days. With concerns over a potential building collapse, an evacuation order has been issued for nearby residents, and daycare centers and an elementary school have been advised to close.

Reporter Bae Seong-jae has the story.

[Reporter]

Thick, black smoke billows from inside the building.

The fire, which began on the sixth floor of the Coupang logistics center in Seohae-gu, Incheon, at 6:54 a.m. on July 18, has been burning for nearly 50 hours.

Despite firefighting efforts continuing into the third day, there is still no word that the main blaze has been brought under control.

Fire authorities had initially expected to contain the fire by around 11:00 p.m. yesterday.

However, they are facing difficulties due to the complex interior of the logistics center, the abundance of flammable materials, and a flare-up on the sixth floor yesterday evening that forced firefighters to evacuate.

Fire authorities are continuing their efforts by using excavators to break through parts of the building to create space to spray water. However, it appears it will take more time to fully extinguish the fire as the building remains filled with smoke.

With the possibility of a partial building collapse being raised, the Seohae-gu Office issued an evacuation order around 11:00 p.m. yesterday for residents within a 116-meter radius. Some residents who received the emergency text message evacuated overnight, causing a stir.

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

[Oh Su-hong / Seohae-gu, Incheon: I do not know what is happening, and with fire trucks wailing like that...]

The Seohae-gu Office has also advised 31 nearby daycare centers to close today due to health concerns over smoke, and one nearby elementary school is scheduled to close today.

While there were no casualties among the logistics center staff, two firefighters were transported to the hospital for treatment after suffering from smoke inhalation and exhaustion.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.