As a large fire at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon stretched into a third day, fire authorities continued suppression efforts while preparing for the possibility of the building collapsing.
According to the Incheon Fire Headquarters on the 20th, the fire that broke out at about 6:54 a.m. on the 18th at the Coupang 32 Logistics Center in Seoknam-dong, Seo District, Incheon, had continued for more than 47 hours as of 6 a.m. that day.
Fire authorities initially expected to achieve preliminary suppression at about 11 p.m. on the 19th, the second day of the fire, but the operation has been prolonged because large amounts of combustible materials are stacked inside the logistics center and its structure is complex.
Fire authorities are carrying out suppression while continuously checking the risk of the building collapsing. Keeping the national fire mobilization order issued on the 18th in place, they deployed 231 pieces of equipment and 812 personnel, including firefighters.
The previous day, fire authorities carried out work to break apart some structures at the point where the ramp area and the sixth floor of the logistics center meet to vent smoke from inside the center and secure space to inject firefighting water. They also deployed aerial and articulated ladder trucks to prevent the flames from spreading to the adjacent SK Incheon Petrochem.
As the fire dragged on, Seohae District in Incheon held a situation assessment meeting the previous day and ordered residents to evacuate from 11 p.m. within a 116-meter radius of the logistics center ramp area. The evacuation covered shops and factories south of the Coupang logistics center, excluding residential areas and police and fire personnel working at the scene.
A total of 168 people from 89 households—75 people from 46 households and 93 people from 43 households—were counted as staying at temporary shelters set up at Sinhyeon Elementary School and Sinhyeonbuk Elementary School, respectively. They were not subject to the evacuation order but reportedly evacuated voluntarily out of concern over smoke and dust.
Seohae District recommended one-day closures for 31 daycare centers and elementary schools near the fire scene that day.