Coupang Warehouse Fire in Incheon Fully Extinguished After 109 Hours

INCHEON, July 22 (Yonhap) -- A massive blaze at a Coupang Corp. warehouse was fully extinguished Wednesday, about 109 hours after it broke out, firefighting authorities said.

The Incheon Fire Headquarters said it extinguished the fire at the retail giant's logistics center in Seongnam-dong, Incheon, just west of Seoul, at 8:35 p.m.

It took 109 hours and 40 minutes to fully extinguish the fire after it broke out Saturday, leaving two firefighters injured and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents.

The fire was the second-longest warehouse fire in South Korea after a 2021 blaze at a Coupang distribution center in Icheon, southeast of Seoul, that burned for about 130 hours.

When the fire broke out, the authorities issued a national order to mobilize hundreds of firefighters and equipment to bring the fire under control.

However, the building's complex layout and vast amounts of flammable material inside had hampered firefighting efforts over the weekend.

Authorities made progress on Monday, helped by rainfall, and brought the fire under initial control some 60 hours after the outbreak.

More than 120 people, including warehouse workers, evacuated the building immediately after the fire broke out, while more than 200 residents took shelter at nearby schools following the local government's evacuation order over concerns the structure could collapse.

The warehouse has eight floors above ground and a gross floor area of 299,000 square meters.

Authorities said they will form an investigation team to determine the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage.