Fire at Incheon Coupang warehouse spreads to 7th floor after 12-hour battle

A major fire that broke out on the 6th floor of a Coupang Inc. logistics center in Incheon has spread up the building's exterior wall to higher floors, with firefighters locked in a nearly 12-hour battle to bring it under control. The volume of combustible materials inside and the extreme heat have blocked firefighters from entering the building, pushing the operation into a prolonged phase.

Jeon Jae-in, head of the 119 disaster response division at the Incheon West Fire Station, told reporters at a scene briefing Saturday afternoon that the 6th floor of the affected logistics center is a large warehouse with three-tier shelving stacked with household goods and other highly flammable materials. "The fire has now spread along the building's exterior wall and reached the 7th floor," he said.

The fire broke out at around 6:54 a.m. Saturday on the 6th floor of Coupang Inc.'s Logistics Center No. 32, an eight-story building with a total floor area of 299,000 square meters in Seoknam-dong, Seohaegu, Incheon. Authorities raised the alert to Level 1 at 9:15 a.m. and escalated it to Level 2 at 12:25 p.m. At 3:15 p.m., the National Fire Agency issued a national fire mobilization order — the highest level of emergency response — drawing firefighting resources from across the country. A total of 386 personnel and 142 pieces of equipment are currently deployed at the scene.

Early containment, however, remains elusive. Jeon said the interior of the center is extremely vast, and visibility is near zero due to thick toxic smoke and intense heat, making it exceptionally difficult for firefighters to enter. Authorities are conducting regular temperature checks to prevent the fire from spreading to lower floors and have established containment lines at multiple points throughout the building. Excavators and forklifts have also been brought in to clear obstacles blocking access routes.

The 121 people inside the building when the fire broke out evacuated on their own without injury. A firefighter in his 40s operating a ladder truck during the operation suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to a hospital by paramedics, where he is receiving hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

Police also mobilized a large contingent to manage the scene and coordinate disaster response. The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency deployed 85 officers to the site under the command of the West Police Station chief and activated its disaster operations center.

President Lee Jae-myung issued an emergency directive to relevant ministries, ordering them to "make every effort to fight the fire and take all necessary measures to prevent further damage." Once the blaze is brought under control, fire authorities plan to launch a detailed investigation to determine the exact point of ignition and the cause of the fire.