Seoul: A massive blaze at a chemical warehouse in Pyeongtaek was fully extinguished some 21 hours after it broke out Tuesday, firefighting authorities said. The fire at the warehouse in Pyeongtaek, located approximately 60 kilometers south of Seoul, was initially brought under control at 9:08 a.m. and then completely extinguished at 9:17 p.m. by the Gyeonggi Province firefighting headquarters. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
According to Yonhap News Agency, fire authorities deployed 255 personnel under a national firefighting mobilization order after the blaze erupted at the warehouse, which was storing more than 1.9 million liters of chemicals, including flammable materials, at 12:03 a.m. The single-story structure, situated inside a warehouse complex operated by logistics company PJK, contained over 100 types of hazardous materials, including flammable liquids. The fire resulted in damage to two out of the seven structures within the complex.
A firefighting official stated, "As a result of focusing on preventing the blaze from expanding to nearby warehouses and facilities, (we) were able to stop the blaze from growing." With the fire now under control, authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the blaze.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook had earlier instructed fire authorities to fully mobilize all available personnel and equipment to contain the blaze and search for possible victims, as per her office. The mobilization order was lifted at around 11 a.m.