"No Matter How Much Water We Spray, It's Useless": Inside the Coupang Logistics Center Fire

Regarding the fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon, experts have diagnosed that the firefighting operation is being prolonged due to the heat accumulation phenomenon caused by the logistics center's enclosed structure.

According to the Incheon Fire Headquarters today (July 20), the fire that broke out at the Coupang 32 Logistics Center in Seoknam-dong, Seo-gu, at 6:54 a.m. on July 18 has not been extinguished as of 2:00 p.m. today, more than 55 hours later.

Despite the continuous spraying of firefighting water using water trucks and firefighting helicopters, and even with monsoon rain falling, the fire is showing no signs of being put out.

Experts analyzed that the fire has developed into a deep-seated fire, where combustible materials packed into three-tier rack structures are burning in layers, causing the fire to continue burning deep inside.

In such cases, it is necessary to remove the stacked materials around the ignition point and penetrate the water deep inside, but access is impossible due to the complex and enclosed structure of the logistics center.

The 6th floor of the logistics center, where the fire started, is four times the size of a soccer field (28,000 square meters) and has a high ceiling, making it difficult for water sprayed from the outside to reach the interior effectively.

In fact, it has been determined that the fire authorities have been unable to enter the 6th and 7th floors where the fire is located due to thick smoke and high heat inside the logistics center, and have instead established a containment line on the 5th floor to prevent the fire from spreading.

Lee Young-ju, a professor at the Department of Fire and Disaster Protection at Kyungil University, said, "Due to the nature of logistics warehouses, there are not many windows or openings, so heat and smoke continue to accumulate inside," adding, "The paths to access the scene are also limited."

He added, "No matter how much water is sprayed using water trucks and firefighting helicopters, difficulties in extinguishing the fire are inevitable," and "It is only effective if you can extinguish the actual fire that is burning."

Gong Ha-sung, a professor at the Department of Fire and Disaster Protection at Woosuk University, explained, "In the case of a deep-seated fire, since the fire is burning from within, it can only be extinguished by digging through the stacked items and spraying water."

Fire authorities have even carried out demolition work at the point where the ramp area connects to the 6th floor of the logistics center to vent smoke from inside the building and create space to spray water.

There are also calls for countermeasures regarding the vulnerable structure of logistics centers, which can lead to large-scale fires once initial suppression fails.

Professor Lee Young-ju suggested, "It is very important for an in-house fire brigade or disaster prevention team to arrive at the scene first and respond initially," adding, "It is necessary to establish response manuals and expand exclusive access roads for firefighting."

Ryu Sang-il, a professor at the Department of Fire and Disaster Administration at Dong-eui University, said, "Just as hazardous materials are managed by classifying them into categories 1 through 6, legal standards suitable for logistics warehouses are needed," and "Plans to limit storage and stacking capacity should be reviewed."

Meanwhile, although the strengthened Fire Safety Standards for Warehouse Facilities (NFTC 609), which reflect the characteristics of logistics warehouse fires, were prepared in 2024, it has been confirmed that the Incheon logistics center, which received its building permit in 2020, is not subject to these standards.

The core of the strengthened standards is the mandatory installation of large-drop sprinklers, which have a higher water discharge capacity than standard ones, and the additional installation of sprinkler heads every 3 meters or less in height for rack-type warehouses.

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