“Hazardous material tank 6m next to it… Quick decision and cooperation are what prevented the spread of the flames.”

“The tank capacity was not very large, but it was dangerous because it was too close to a nearby company tank. The wind was blowing that way at the time.”

On the 14th, Namulju Fire Station Disaster Response Division Chief Kwon Jun-dong, who oversaw the initial response to the fire that occurred at Buseung Chemical in Onsan-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, recalled the tense situation at the time in an interview with Yonhap News.

It is said that the next factory, just 6m away from the tank where the fire started, also had a storage tank for dangerous substances, so it could have spread into a large-scale fire.

At the time, there were 33 storage tanks crowded at the business site near Puseung Chemical, but the fire was limited to 7 and no casualties occurred.

Firefighting authorities evaluated that they prevented the fire from spreading to the remaining 26 tanks, preventing a major disaster and reducing property damage.

Manager Kwon cited quick initial judgment and deployment of large-scale firefighting forces as key factors that prevented the spread of damage.

On the day of the fire, it was reported at 9:41 a.m., and the first responders who arrived at the scene within 6 minutes confirmed flames rising from three storage tanks. Afterwards, additional explosions caused the fire to spread to four adjacent tanks.

The on-site command team, which confirmed strong flames, explosion sounds, and black smoke, determined that it would be difficult to extinguish the fire with only the existing personnel and equipment, and immediately requested additional firefighting power.

Accordingly, the fire authorities issued the first stage of response at 10:04 a.m., and the National Fire Service also issued a national fire mobilization order 36 minutes after receiving the report, concentrating firefighting forces from other regions on the scene.

Manager Kwon explained, "Fires in hazardous materials storage tanks do not go out quickly, so they require a lot of fire extinguishing agents, water, and manpower."

The key to the firefighting operation was to put out the fire in the tank and prevent it from spreading to surrounding tanks.

Firefighting authorities divided the scene into zones, assigned commanders, and sprayed fire extinguishing agents on the burning tank using high-performance chemical vehicles and refractor vehicles. The surrounding tanks were continuously sprayed with water to lower the heat.

The evolution process was not easy. In some tanks, the lids were not completely blown off by the explosion, but only partially torn off, making it difficult to spray fire extinguishing agents inside.

There were great restrictions on crews' access to the site due to strong radiant heat and the risk of additional explosions.

Manager Kwon said, “We focused most on preventing the fire from spreading to surrounding tanks while ensuring the safety of the crew,” and added, “The uninterrupted supply of firefighting water and extinguishing agents was also a great help.”

Cooperation from nearby companies and related organizations also played a role in this.

SK Energy and S-Oil provided their own fire trucks and explosives, and fire hydrants from the nearby Shaheen Project construction site were also used to extinguish the fire.

Police controlled surrounding traffic and the Forest Service provided helicopter support. The Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office was in charge of measuring hazardous substances, and Ulsan City and Ulju County also took steps to spread the situation and take safety measures for residents.

At the basis of this cooperation was a response system that had been established on a regular basis.

Namulju Fire Department is conducting joint firefighting training with companies, considering its jurisdiction over the Onsan National Industrial Complex, where petrochemical and non-ferrous metal companies are concentrated.

We also signed a support agreement with 7 companies that operate their own fire brigades to support each other with firefighting personnel and equipment in the event of a disaster, establishing a system that can support 18 vehicles and 337 personnel in the event of an emergency.

Manager Kwon commented, “Thanks to our regular training and cooperation with companies, we were able to quickly receive the support we needed.”

The fire department prepared for crew members' exhaustion and safety accidents due to long-time firefighting work by organizing shift teams and deploying three recovery support vehicles.

Manager Kwon said, "In particular, the crews who arrived first at the scene must have had great difficulties as they had to respond initially amidst the explosion and strong heat. I would like to thank the crews who worked hard at the difficult scene, as well as the companies and related organizations that helped extinguish the fire."