The National Fire Agency reexamined its suppression strategy for the fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon, taking into account the risk of building collapse. It decided to prioritize firefighters' safety and focus on knocking down the flames from the building's perimeter instead of making risky interior entries.
According to the National Fire Agency on the 18th, Central Emergency Rescue Control Chief Choi Yong-cheol presided over a situation assessment meeting at the fire scene in Seoknam-dong, Seohae District, Incheon, that day and reviewed suppression progress and safety measures with the Incheon Fire Headquarters, police, local governments, and structural engineers and other related agencies.
The meeting focused on whether the prolonged fire posed a risk of the building collapsing. Reflecting the opinions of structural engineers, fire authorities decided to conduct suppression operations within the bounds that ensure the safety of personnel and to continue a perimeter-focused operation using areas such as the side ramp of the building.
They also plan to concentrate special equipment, including a high-capacity foam firefighting system, high-performance chemical engines, aerial and articulating ladder trucks, and unmanned breach-and-water-cannon vehicles, to cool the building and block further spread. To prepare for extended firefighting, they will deploy lighting trucks and operate rotation and recovery support systems for personnel.
At 6 p.m. that day, the National Fire Agency issued the third stage of the national firefighting mobilization order and deployed 54 additional units of special equipment, including aerial and articulating ladder trucks, water tankers, and recovery support vehicles, from eight cities and provinces: Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daejeon, Sejong, Gangwon, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, and North Jeolla.
So far, 412 personnel from fire and police and 155 pieces of equipment have been mobilized at the scene. All 121 staff inside the building at the time of the fire evacuated, and one firefighter was injured during suppression and is receiving treatment.
Central Emergency Rescue Control Chief Choi Yong-cheol said, "We must closely examine the risk of the building collapsing and pursue a systematic suppression operation within the bounds that ensure personnel safety," and added, "Mobilize all available firefighting resources and special equipment nationwide and make every effort to extinguish the fire."