INCHEON (Bernama-Yonhap): A massive blaze at a Coupang warehouse was brought under initial control Monday, 61 hours after it broke out and forced the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing firefighting authorities.
The fire at the logistics centre in Incheon, just west of Seoul, was declared under initial control at 8 p.m. by the Incheon firefighting headquarters, after 812 firefighters and 231 pieces of equipment had been mobilised as part of a national order issued Saturday.
While the complex building structure and vast amounts of flammable material inside had hampered firefighting efforts, authorities made progress on Monday, helped by rainfall.
A total of 178 people have taken shelter at nearby schools after the local government issued an evacuation order late Sunday for areas within 116 metres of the warehouse's ramp zone.
Local authorities advised daycare centres and elementary schools in the area to close on Monday, leading to the closure of one elementary school and 14 daycare centres.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
