Fire Believed to Have Started in Refining Process
Over Half of Plant 2 Estimated Destroyed
On May 19, the third day since the fire broke out at the Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant, fire authorities began their final firefighting operations.
Starting around 7 a.m. that day, fire authorities resumed efforts to extinguish remaining embers, deploying heavy equipment and firefighting personnel. The fire suppression rate has reportedly reached between 90% and 95% so far.
Firefighters are spraying water as they carry out firefighting operations on the second day of the fire at Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News
Authorities believe that complete extinguishment will be possible within the day, once they remove structures at risk of collapse using excavators and other equipment, and eliminate any remaining embers.
At 2:50 p.m. the previous day, authorities succeeded in putting out the main fire 31 hours and 40 minutes after the blaze began, but sporadic flames continued to flare up from rubber powder and other materials accumulated inside the plant.
Overnight, firefighting efforts focused on extinguishing remaining embers. However, due to the risk of structural collapse, the use of heavy equipment was temporarily suspended. Authorities established defensive lines to prevent the fire from spreading further and continued their response throughout the night.
The fire, which broke out at around 7:11 a.m. on May 17, is estimated to have destroyed more than half of Plant 2, located on the west side of the facility, out of the plant's two sections.
The fire is believed to have started in the refining process when an unidentified spark was generated.
Fire authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire through on-site inspections and statements from those involved once the firefighting operations are complete.
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