Incheon Coupang Logistics Center Fire Caused by 'Lithium Battery Thermal Runaway'

Fire Originated on Storage Rack on Building B's Sixth Floor; Damage Estimated at 114 Billion Won

The cause of the major fire at Coupang's logistics center in Incheon last July has been definitively confirmed as "thermal runaway" in a lithium-ion battery built into a product.

Firefighters battle a blaze at Coupang Logistics Center 32 in Seohae-gu, Incheon, where the fire has continued for a third consecutive day as of July 20. The fire broke out on the sixth floor at around 6:54 a.m. on July 18 and has continued to burn for more than 50 hours. 2026.7.20 Photo by Kang Jinhyung

The Central Fire Investigation Team of the National Fire Agency, led by Ju Yeongguk, head of the 119 Response Bureau, announced the findings of its investigation into the "Incheon Coupang Logistics Center 32 fire" on October 28.

Based on witness statements and analysis of CCTV footage, the team identified a storage rack on the sixth floor of Building B (the second mezzanine level) as the fire's point of origin. Household goods containing lithium-ion batteries had been stored on the rack.

Tests by the National Forensic Service also confirmed that the fire could have been caused by the breakdown of cell insulation in a battery recovered from the site. However, the fire caused such extensive destruction that investigators could not identify the specific product that first caught fire.

The fire, which began with battery thermal runaway, spread to the products' outer casings, packaging materials and cardboard boxes, then moved upward and along the exterior walls. The flames spread vertically to the restaurant on the eighth floor and horizontally along the exterior wall of Building B toward Building A.

The fire, which started at 6:54 a.m. on July 18, 2026, was completely extinguished at 8:35 p.m. on July 22 after 917 firefighting personnel and 255 pieces of equipment, including seven helicopters, were deployed for more than 109 hours and 30 minutes.

During firefighting operations, two firefighters suffered minor injuries after inhaling smoke or becoming exhausted. Property damage was estimated at 114 billion won in total, including 37.4 billion won in real estate damage and 76.6 billion won in damage to movable assets. At the time, firefighters established a defensive line on the access ramp, preventing the flames from spreading to the lower floors and Building A.

The logistics center where the fire occurred was found to have received building approval in May 2020 and therefore was not subject to the strengthened fire-safety standards for large logistics warehouses that took effect this year.

In response, the National Fire Agency plans to establish "Fire Response Procedures for Windowless Floors and Complex-Structure Logistics Warehouses (SOP 244)," which call for rapidly setting up defensive layers and lines to stop fires from spreading when a fire breaks out at a large logistics warehouse.

The agency also plans to consult with relevant government ministries on developing safety standards that would limit the state of charge (SOC) of batteries stored in logistics warehouses to a certain level, taking into account the fire risks associated with battery charge levels.

National Fire Agency Commissioner Choi Yongcheol said, "Logistics warehouses contain large amounts of combustible materials, so even a small spark can grow into a major fire." He urged businesses that handle products with built-in batteries to carefully manage storage areas and ensure early detection, and to store the products with their batteries at as low a charge as possible.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.