"This is when we should be selling fall gizzard shad in full swing and preparing for the Chuseok peak season, what are we supposed to do now?"

Around 10:00 a.m. on the 23rd, at the Bangeojin Live Fish Center in Dong-gu, Ulsan.

The scars left by a fire that swept through the night before were still evident, leaving the scene in absolute ruins.

As one approached the long, single-story building, a foul stench from burning plastic and Styrofoam pierced the nose.

Fragments of glass shattered during the firefighting efforts were scattered everywhere along the road behind the center, giving a sense of the desperate situation.

The interior condition was even more severe.

Starting from the middle entrance, the stores to the northwest were burned black, almost beyond recognition.

Tap water gushed from pipes that burst under the unbearable heat, and the merchants' tanks and oxygen cylinders—their property and means of livelihood—were also charred black.

The merchants themselves were pacing anxiously, unable to properly check the extent of their respective damages.

With police lines set up for on-site forensics and access restricted, merchants could not even step inside their stores, leaving them standing outside the center and peering in with anxious feet.

Visitors who came to buy raw fish without knowing about the fire turned away with looks of regret after hearing that the business was closed due to a fire.

Hong, a 61-year-old initial reporter, said, "The flames starting near the middle passageway of the building instantly soared over 1.5 meters above the roof and then spread to the side," adding, "A foul stench resembling burning chemicals and black smoke surged, so I immediately called 119 and moved parked cars out of the way."

Fortunately, there were no casualties as the fire broke out late at night after business hours, but the property damage and psychological shock suffered by the merchants are immeasurable.

A merchant in their 60s surnamed Lee, who runs a store here, sighed, saying, "I went on a four-day vacation and resumed normal operations from the 21st, starting to sell fall gizzard shad," and added, "We had planned even past the gizzard shad season up to the fall festival, and the Chuseok peak season was right around the corner so everyone was gearing up for business, but it has all gone to waste."

Another merchant complained, "We expect it to take at least six months to a year to normalize because we need to completely replace the electrical infrastructure and go through administrative procedures," adding, "Right ahead of Chuseok, our livelihoods are blocked with despair."

Shin, a 49-year-old family member of an affected merchant, said, "I couldn't go inside to check with my own eyes, but the stores on the side where the fire was severe look heavily damaged," and added, "It is fortunate that I heard there is fire insurance, but since our livelihoods are at stake, I just hope the investigation and compensation proceed with a sense of speed."

Fire authorities, the police, and the National Forensic Service are coordinating a joint forensic inspection schedule to verify the exact ignition point and cause.

Dong-gu Office, which owns and operates the live fish center, is also holding a countermeasure meeting to discuss damage restoration and support measures.

(Photo: Yonhap News)