The fire, which broke out at around 6:50 a.m. last Saturday on the sixth floor of the eight-story logistics center in Seoknam-dong, Incheon, spread to the seventh floor and remained uncontained through Monday morning despite more than 48 hours of firefighting efforts.
An evacuation order was issued around midnight for residents within a 116-meter radius of the logistics center after authorities warned of a possible structural collapse. Thick smoke from the blaze blanketed nearby areas, with residents as far as two kilometers away reporting smoky air and a strong burning odor.
Local authorities in the western port city also advised around 30 nearby daycare centers to close on Monday, while at least one elementary school canceled classes due to safety concerns.
More than 700 firefighters and emergency personnel from nearby fire stations have been deployed along with over 200 vehicles and firefighting equipment including helicopters, ladder trucks and high-capacity water cannon systems. However, they have struggled to contain the blaze due to the storage's internal structure and the large volume of flammable materials stored inside.
"The logistics center is a huge warehouse with densely packed storage racks containing massive amounts of combustible materials," an official from an Incheon fire station said during a media briefing. "Extreme heat, thick smoke and poor visibility have made it difficult for firefighters to enter the building."
Instead of entering the building, firefighters have focused on cooling the structure from outside while using excavators to tear down part of the sixth-floor exterior wall to vent smoke and create openings through which water can be directed into the warehouse.
A total of 121 people including warehouse workers were safely evacuated shortly after the fire broke out, while two firefighters were taken to a hospital after inhaling smoke and suffering exhaustion.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, with investigators planning to examine the site after the blaze has been fully extinguished.
Coupang issued an apology over the incident and pledged to fully cooperate with authorities.
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