A fire that broke out at a storage yard in Topyeong Industrial Complex in Topyeong-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju, spread to a nearby factory building, prompting fire authorities to issue response level 1 and throw all efforts into extinguishing the blaze.
According to the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters on the 2nd, a report was received at about 9:27 p.m. on the 1st that a fire had occurred at the storage yard of a waste wood processing company inside the Topyeong Industrial Complex.
Seogwipo Fire Station began initial suppression by deploying personnel and equipment to the scene from 9:39 p.m., but as the flames spread to the factory building, it issued response level 1. Fire response level 1 is an early-stage measure for fires and disasters in which the entire personnel and equipment of the jurisdictional fire station are mobilized for rapid suppression.
The company where the fire broke out is known as an enterprise that processes waste wood and other materials to produce solid fuel and generates electricity with it. The fire started in the storage yard and caused major damage as it burned three of the four buildings, a crushing operation line, and heavy equipment.
As of 12:30 a.m. on the 2nd, 117 people, including 96 firefighting personnel, 15 volunteer firefighters, and six police officers, and 33 pieces of equipment, including aerial ladder trucks and articulated ladder trucks, have been deployed as extinguishing work continues. The naval base squadron fire brigade is also supporting the scene.
No casualties have been reported so far, but fire authorities are also conducting searches for people as a precaution.
Fire authorities confirmed through a statement from a company official that "20 people were deployed to carry out repairs at an oil boiler service shop until 5 p.m. on the 1st," and, based on this, are determining the exact cause of the fire.
Fire authorities are also working to stop the spread so the fire does not spread to other nearby buildings, but said it could take a considerable amount of time to bring the flames under control.