Identification of 29 Victims Confirmed in Icheon Logistics Warehouse Fire... Most Were 'Daily Workers'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] As a detailed joint investigation by related agencies to determine the cause of the fire at a logistics warehouse construction site in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province is underway on the 30th, the identification process of the deceased is expected to be completed as early as the same day.

According to Icheon City, the police, and fire authorities, as of 9 a.m. on the same day, the identities of 29 out of 38 deceased have been confirmed. All 29 identified individuals are reported to be male. Among them, there are two foreigners: one Chinese and one Kazakhstani.

Along with the recovery of the deceased, the identification process has been ongoing since the evening of the previous day, and it is expected that the identification of the remaining nine will be completed as early as the same day. The police are conducting dual identification by collecting and comparing fingerprints and DNA.

The Icheon City Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters plans to notify the bereaved families as soon as the identities of the deceased are accurately confirmed and to set up a joint memorial altar. A "Family Rest Area" for victims has been established at the nearby Moga Indoor Gymnasium. It is reported that some family members of victims whose identities have not yet been confirmed are gathered there.

On the 29th, when the fire occurred, it was identified that about 190 workers were working at the logistics warehouse construction site. There were three buildings at the construction site. Among them, 78 workers from nine companies specializing in electricity, painting, equipment, and concreting were working in Building B, where the fire broke out. Most of them are reported to be daily workers.

Min Gap-ryong (right), Commissioner of the National Police Agency, and Jung Moon-ho, Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, are attending the 'Icheon Fire Related Ministers' Meeting' held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 30th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The police and fire authorities suspect that the urethane work and elevator installation work around the freight elevator on the second basement floor were the main causes of the fire. The building in question was a four-story above ground and two-story basement structure made of steel frame and sandwich panels.

The police, fire authorities, and the National Forensic Service will conduct the first joint investigation at the Gyeonggi Icheon logistics warehouse construction site fire scene starting at 10:30 a.m. on the same day.

The joint investigation will involve a total of 41 personnel from five organizations: 15 from the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency Forensic Science Unit, 8 from the National Forensic Service, 5 from Korea Electric Power Corporation, 3 from Korea Gas Corporation, and 10 from the fire department. The police and others plan to focus on identifying the cause of the fire during this investigation. They will concentrate on determining the initial ignition point and the circumstances under which the fire spread significantly, aiming to clarify the overall facts. Before the investigation, the police will organize the identities of the deceased identified so far and conduct a brief on-site briefing. It is expected that the bereaved families of the fire victims will also visit the investigation site on the same day.

The fire, which broke out at around 1:32 p.m. the previous day at the logistics warehouse construction site in Moga-myeon, Icheon City, was fully extinguished at around 6:42 p.m. after about five hours. The fire authorities reported that a total of 38 people have died so far due to the fire. Eight people are seriously injured, and two are lightly injured. The fire authorities have also completed confirming the whereabouts of all 78 workers who reported to work the previous day, including the 48 casualties.

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