Initial Containment After 61 Hours: Cleanup of Remaining Fires Begins at Coupang Logistics Center

[Anchor]

The massive fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon was brought under control yesterday evening (July 20). As fire authorities begin the process of extinguishing remaining fires, the evacuation order for local residents has been lifted.

Park Hyeon-seok reports.

[Reporter]

The fire at the Coupang logistics center in Seoknam-dong, Incheon, which began around 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, was brought under control around 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 61 hours after it started.

Although thick smoke is still rising from the scene, fire authorities have declared the initial containment and have begun work to put out the remaining fires.

While fire authorities lifted the national firefighting mobilization order at 9:40 a.m. today, they noted that it will likely take a significant amount of time to fully extinguish the blaze.

The evacuation order for residents within a 116-meter radius of the fire site was also lifted as of 11:00 p.m. last night.

This decision was made as the risk of building collapse decreased following the containment of the main fire.

Although no residential areas were included in the evacuation zone, approximately 200 residents who were concerned about smoke and dust damage had previously sought shelter at a nearby elementary school.

With the evacuation order lifted, residents are expected to return home while monitoring guidance from fire authorities and the status of the firefighting efforts.

Taking 61 hours just for initial containment, this incident is recorded as the logistics center fire that has taken the longest time to reach the initial containment stage in South Korea.

The long duration required to bring the fire under control was largely due to the building's structure.

The so-called mezzanine structure, where a single floor is divided into two or three levels to store more goods, made it difficult for firefighting water to reach the flames and for firefighters to access the area.

Once the fire is completely extinguished, police and fire authorities plan to conduct a joint inspection with relevant agencies, including the National Forensic Service, to investigate the cause of the fire and determine accountability.

(Video reporting: Yang Ji-hoon, Video editing: Lee So-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.