"Can't Evacuate Even If There's a Fire"…Revisiting a Post Written by a Part-Time Worker at Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center 3 Years Ago

3 Years Ago Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center Fire... "No Special Announcements Made"
"Logistics Center Has Many Boxes and High Risk of Rapid Spread Due to Wind"

On the 17th, the Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center in Majang-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, where a fire broke out, is now exposed like a bombed-out skeleton. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Recently, a firefighter died in the line of duty during a fire accident at the Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi Province. Amid this, a post by a part-time worker who claimed to have worked at the logistics center three years ago has drawn attention. The part-timer criticized Coupang officials for responding with a complacent attitude despite the fire at the time.

On February 17, 2018, an online community 'Nate Pann' featured a post titled "Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center where you can't evacuate even if there is a fire."

The author, identified as A, who said they worked a short-term part-time job at the Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center, stated that while working in the third-floor receiving section, smoke from a sudden fire began to fill the area. Although the logistics center quickly became filled with smoke, Coupang did not provide any special guidance regarding the situation. Feeling uneasy, A and colleagues evacuated outside.

However, Coupang staff later scolded the evacuated employees, shouting things like, "How can you leave your post during working hours?" and "Hurry back to your stations and start working."

A said, "Even though the fire smoke filled the interior, there was still no announcement or explanation of the situation at that time," and added, "While heading down to the basement first-floor office area, I saw managers carrying fire extinguishers trying to put out the fire. Even though the fire was not completely controlled, they insisted that everyone return to their posts." It was reported that the fire was caused by a cigarette.

Photo by Online Community 'Nate Pann' Screen Capture.

Afterwards, A explained the situation to the person in charge in the office. However, the person reportedly said, "Then just leave early and go home."

A said, "I was angry because I was talking about a fire, not a personal matter, but the response was so lighthearted, suggesting early leave. I asked, 'How can we keep working in a smoke-filled environment?' and 'This is not a personal reason for leaving early, so why should I suffer personal damage to leave early?' and 'How can we continue working in such an unsafe place?'" A added, "When I said, 'I will report everything that happened today,' the office manager replied in an annoyed tone, 'Go ahead and report it, then.'

Furthermore, A pointed out, "Today’s fire was small and easily extinguishable, but the logistics center is full of boxes and has many risk factors for the fire to spread widely due to the wind. Also, since everyone has to surrender their phones, in case of a real emergency, it could become even more dangerous. Even if the fire was controlled, shouldn't people be evacuated temporarily until the smoke from the fire is ventilated?"

Meanwhile, another netizen claiming to have worked at the Deokpyeong Logistics Center left a comment on the post. This netizen said, "I have worked here before, and there are tons of boxes, making it an environment where fire can easily spread," adding, "The stairs are very narrow and numerous, so it’s hard to get out properly during commuting times; I don’t even want to think about what would happen if there was a fire."

They continued, "With smoke like that, how can they respond like that when people could get carbon monoxide poisoning or other gas poisoning? Is rocket delivery more important than human lives?" they raised their voice.

Meanwhile, the Coupang logistics center fire reportedly started around 5:20 a.m. on the 17th in the basement second floor of the warehouse. CCTV footage captured sparks from an outlet installed above the shelves in the goods warehouse, leading to the assumption that the fire started due to electrical causes.

The fire was initially extinguished around 12:25 p.m. on the 19th, the fourth day, and all response stages were lifted as of 3:56 p.m. on the 20th. All Coupang workers evacuated during the fire, but Rescue Team Leader Kim Dongsik, who entered the building to suppress the fire, died, and a team leader firefighter who accompanied him was injured and transferred to the hospital.