INCHEON - Authorities issued evacuation orders around Coupang’s Incheon logistics centre late on July 19 as a major warehouse fire burned out of control, dashing an earlier target to contain the blaze by 11pm local time and stoking concerns the eight‑story building could collapse.

Incheon’s Seohae-gu sent an emergency text alert at around 11pm that read: “Due to the risk of partial building collapse from the Coupang fire, residents within a 116m radius, including nearby shops and offices, are asked to evacuate immediately.”

Officials said the collapse risk zone covers commercial buildings and factories south of the logistics centre but no residential areas.

The fire broke out at 6.54am on July 18 on the sixth floor of the 299,000 sq m fulfillment centre in Seohae-gu and spread to the seventh floor through exterior walls, according to the Incheon Fire Headquarters.

All 121 workers inside evacuated safely. One firefighter was hospitalised for smoke inhalation and another was treated for exhaustion.

Earlier on July 19, fire officials said they aimed to bring the main blaze under control by around 11pm, based on progress made as of 7am.

But the fire’s behavior diverged from expectations, with accumulated heat and thick smoke preventing crews from entering the building and making it effectively impossible to meet that target.

Firefighters attempted to open access routes in the afternoon by sending two excavators into the ramp area that links to the sixth floor – the main truck entry and exit – to demolish parts of the structure and secure vents and water‑spray points.

Crews also tore down sections of the exterior wall using aerial ladder and articulating boom trucks, while helicopters carried out water drops before sunset.

Even after the demolition work, however, heavy smoke continued to billow from inside and interior temperatures failed to drop enough to allow entry.

“Sending firef...