Weeping, Search, and Forensic Investigation... The Second Day at the Site of the 'Icheon Logistics Warehouse Fire Disaster' Amid Grief

[Asia Economy (Icheon) = Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Around 10:30 a.m. on the 30th, at a logistics warehouse in Moga-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi Province. About 500 meters away from here, two police officers were controlling the road in front of the Nam Icheon TG on the Jungbu Expressway, blocking entry. Behind them, the logistics warehouse building where the tragedy occurred, claiming 38 lives, revealed its horrific appearance as it was.

The building, with two basement floors and four above ground, was completely charred black. After overnight work the previous night to extinguish all flames and remove obstacles blocking internal access, the acrid smell remained. The external panels, crumpled like wrinkled sheets of paper, clung precariously as if they might fall at any moment, and debris scattered like shell fragments suggested the devastation at the time of the fire. In the gymnasium within Moga Sports Park, where temporary accommodations for the victims' families were set up, only the sobbing of grieving families broke the silence. Supporting and embracing each other, the families shared their pain.

The final confirmed death toll from the detailed search by the fire authorities completed that morning was 38. Among them, the police identified 29 victims through fingerprints, but for 9, fingerprint identification was impossible, so their identities must be confirmed through DNA analysis. The largest number of victims, 18, were found on the second floor above ground, and four victims were found on each of the remaining five floors.

On the morning of the 30th, bereaved families are sitting down and crying loudly in the family rest area set up at Moga Indoor Gymnasium near the logistics warehouse fire disaster site in Moga-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi Province.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

From around 11 a.m., a joint investigation team consisting of 45 members from seven organizations including the police, fire department, National Forensic Service, Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency began a joint investigation to determine the cause of the fire amid the blackened debris. The investigation team started from the second basement floor, presumed to be the point where the fire began. They were inspecting various parts of the building to identify exactly where the flames started and to determine the precise fire origin.

The fire authorities estimate that this fire occurred due to an explosion of vapor. Sparks ignited the vapor, causing an explosion that quickly escalated into a large blaze. Currently, it is suggested that sparks generated during welding or cutting work inside met the vapor, triggering the explosion. The investigation team is reportedly focusing closely on this aspect.

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