0
Firefighting aerial ladder trucks pause water discharge while tackling a blaze at a Coupang logistics center in Seongnam-dong, Seohae-gu, Incheon / Photo by Yonhap News Agency

A massive fire at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon was completely extinguished after approximately 110 hours.

According to the Incheon Fire Headquarters on July 22, fire authorities fully put out the blaze at the Coupang Logistics Center No. 32 in Seongnam-dong, Seohae-gu, Incheon, at around 8:35 p.m. that day. This comes 109 hours and 41 minutes after the fire first broke out at 6:54 a.m. on July 18. Level 1 emergency response was also lifted alongside the complete extinguishment.

The fire originated on the sixth floor of the logistics center—which has a total floor area of 299,000 square meters—and spread to the upper levels. Fire authorities initiated response efforts by issuing a Level 1 response at 9:15 a.m. on the day of the outbreak, followed by a Level 2 response at 12:25 p.m. and a national fire mobilization order at 3:15 p.m.

A total of 845 personnel—including 507 firefighters, 299 police officers, and 39 officials from relevant agencies—were deployed to combat the blaze. A total of 239 pieces of equipment were also mobilized, including 215 firefighting vehicles and 24 police vehicles.

Firefighters faced difficulties extinguishing the fire due to large quantities of combustible materials stacked inside the building and its complex interior structure. They contained the main flames and declared primary control around 8:00 p.m. on July 20—about 61 hours after the fire broke out—and downgraded the response level to Level 1 at 1:57 p.m. the previous day before proceeding with clearing embers and safety checks.

During the ember clearance process, residual heat and thick smoke persisted on the sixth floor, where the fire is presumed to have started. Peeling and cracks were identified on some walls and ceilings on the sixth and seventh floors, restricting firefighters' entry into the building.

Fire authorities lowered the interior temperature by discharging water primarily through external aerial ladder trucks and around the logistics center's ramp areas. On the fifth floor, where large quantities of lithium batteries were stored, thermal imaging cameras were used to continuously monitor temperature changes.

An evacuation order issued for residents within a 116-meter radius of the logistics center ramp area due to the fire was lifted at 11:00 p.m. on July 20. While residential areas were not included in the mandatory evacuation zone, 218 residents utilized shelters due to concerns over smoke and dust.

Fire authorities plan to conduct a joint inspection with relevant agencies, including the National Fire Agency, National Fire Research Institute, and Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, to investigate the exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.

                                                                                                          Seol So-young