Coupang Logistics Center Fire Investigation Reveals Fire Department Oversight

An investigation into the massive fire at Coupang's logistics center in Incheon has revealed significant oversights by the fire department in its pre-incident safety assessment. The fire, which raged for over 109 hours before being extinguished, occurred at the Coupang 32 logistics center in Seoknam-dong, Seo-gu.

According to a fire safety data report obtained by Democratic Party councilor Kim Dae-young, the complex structure of the building, including its mezzanine levels and high ceilings, along with the vast quantities of easily flammable consumer goods stored in stacked racks, were not identified as critical factors for fire spread. The report only noted a "basement cold storage (for emergency generator fuel)" under the category of hazardous materials and other combustible substances.

This omission is particularly concerning as mezzanine structures are often cited as a major reason for the rapid escalation of fires in such facilities. They can impede firefighters' ability to navigate the interior and allow flames to spread quickly upwards through stored goods. Despite evidence in the report indicating the presence of stacked racks and ongoing construction involving vertical conveyors, these characteristics were not flagged as potential fire spread risks.

Concerns have been raised about the consistency of fire safety inspections for large logistics centers. While the Incheon Fire Department has conducted these assessments on 15 logistics centers over 100,000 square meters in the past three years, only four instances flagged the unique characteristics of large logistics centers as potential fire spread factors. Other inspections, such as those for the Incheon Dohwa Logistics Warehouse and Coupang Logistics Center 4, did mention concerns about rapid fire spread or the difficulty of internal personnel identification in case of fire.

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The mezzanine structure and the nature of a large logistics center are themselves factors for fire spread. These details must be identified and managed in advance during the fire safety data survey.