Collapse risk at Incheon Coupang warehouse drops sharply as evacuation order review begins

The collapse risk at the Incheon Coupang warehouse, where a fire has burned for three days, has dropped significantly, officials said Monday.

According to the Incheon Fire Department and the Korea Structural Engineers Association, Coupang Warehouse No. 32 in Seoknam-dong, Seohaegu — where the fire broke out Saturday — is divided into two main sections, Buildings A and B, along with a parking ramp zone used by freight trucks. The flames that initially spread through the sixth and seventh floors of Building B have been largely extinguished, while the fire that jumped to Building A continues to burn.

The Korea Structural Engineers Association deployed National Fire Agency drones to assess the structural condition inside the building. It found no collapse risk in Building B, and said the risk for Building A had also been substantially reduced.

Park Yeong-seok, a structural expert with the Korea Structural Engineers Association, told reporters at a scene briefing Monday that fire authorities had worked to cool the structure to bring the collapse probability to zero. "The heat source fueling the fire has been exhausted, so we believe the collapse risk has fallen considerably," he said. "The overall collapse risk probability is converging to zero."

The Seohaegu district office said it is reviewing whether to lift the evacuation order based on suppression progress and conditions at the scene. The district issued the evacuation order Sunday at 11 p.m., covering a 116-meter radius around the fire site.

A National Fire Agency official briefed Minister of Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung, who visited the scene Monday, saying that once fire authorities declare initial suppression, the local government will lift the residential evacuation order and police will reopen one lane of the road on the Building B side, where shops are located.

As a precaution, firefighting operations are continuing, and authorities have installed collapse alarms at three points around the building to trigger an immediate alert if a dangerous situation arises.