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๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Disasters & Emergencies

Coupang fire continues for third day, residents endure smoke and noise

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A fire at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon, South Korea, has continued for three days, causing significant disruption and discomfort to nearby residents.
  • Residents are forced to keep windows and doors closed, wear masks outdoors, and endure noise from firefighting operations, including explosions and helicopter sounds.
  • Firefighting efforts are hampered by the stacked goods inside the center, with authorities deploying extensive resources and personnel to control the blaze.

A fire at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon, South Korea, has raged for three days, severely impacting the lives of residents in the adjacent ์„๋‚จ1๋™ (Seoknam 1-dong) neighborhood. The persistent blaze has forced inhabitants to adopt extreme measures to cope with the smoke and noise.

When I go outside, I have to wear a mask. I keep my doors and windows closed and only run the air conditioner.

โ€” JooA resident describes the daily precautions taken due to the fire.

Residents describe a daily struggle, keeping their homes sealed with windows and doors shut, relying solely on air conditioning. "When I go outside, I have to wear a mask. I keep my doors and windows closed and only run the air conditioner," said Joo, a 69-year-old resident of a five-story apartment building near the center. The constant noise from firefighting operations, including what sounds like explosions and the whirring of helicopters or drones, disrupts their sleep and peace.

At night, I can't even leave the door open. Forget about ventilation.

โ€” UhmA resident in their 30s living in a multi-family house expresses the difficulty of living near the fire.

Firefighting operations are proving challenging due to the nature of the logistics center, which is filled with stacked daily necessities. The fire, which started on the sixth floor, has been ongoing for over 50 hours. Fire authorities have deployed 231 pieces of equipment and 812 personnel, including national firefighting mobilization, to combat the blaze. They have also undertaken destructive work to create access points for extinguishing the fire and preventing its spread to nearby facilities like SK Incheon Petrochemical.

At night, I hear sounds like something exploding. I don't know if it's the sound of water being sprayed on the exterior wall of the logistics center or something falling off.

โ€” KimA resident describes the disruptive noises experienced at night due to the firefighting efforts.

Evacuation orders have been issued for residents within a 116-meter radius, but concerns remain about the effectiveness of communication and support for vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly living in multi-unit dwellings. Many residents report that evacuation information was not adequately shared, leaving them to "hunker down" in their homes. The prolonged fire underscores the difficulties in controlling large-scale industrial fires and their significant impact on surrounding communities.

I hear sounds of helicopters or drones flying all night. Loud noises also continue to come from the logistics center.

โ€” JooA resident describes the constant noise pollution from the ongoing firefighting operations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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