A fire broke out on the 18th at a logistics center belonging to South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang, and the blaze has continued for three days without being fully contained.
The local fire department warned on the 20th that if the fire spreads to the area containing large quantities of lithium batteries, the entire building will face the risk of collapse. To prevent danger, government authorities have organized the evacuation of nearby residents and required schools to suspend classes.
The logistics center is located in Incheon City, west of Seoul, and caught fire at 6:54 a.m. on the 18th. According to a national firefighting mobilization order issued that day, 813 firefighters and 231 pieces of equipment have been deployed locally to participate in firefighting efforts.
A fire department official said on the 20th that although the fire has been brought somewhat under control, the time required to fully extinguish it will be longer than expected. Given the large scale of the logistics center, it is currently impossible to predict exactly when the fire will be completely contained.