The first on-site inspection of the Icheon logistics warehouse fire has ended... "It seems the cause determination will take a long time"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy (Icheon) = Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The first joint on-site investigation of the fire at the logistics warehouse construction site in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, which resulted in 38 deaths, concluded after six hours on the 30th afternoon.

The joint investigation team, composed of 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, visited the fire site at the logistics warehouse in Moga-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do from 11 a.m. to examine the cause and spread of the fire.

According to the investigation results, the fire is presumed to have started on the second basement floor of the underground logistics warehouse. A police official stated, "Based on the pattern of internal burning, it is presumed that the fire started on the second basement floor," adding, "It is expected that determining the exact cause of the fire will take a considerable amount of time."

The investigation team plans to conduct a second detailed investigation starting at 10:30 a.m. on the 1st of next month.

Earlier, the fire authorities estimated that the fire was caused by a vapor explosion. It is believed that vapor generated from polyurethane work carried out in various parts of the logistics warehouse met a specific cause and exploded.

Polyurethane is a material widely used mainly as insulation and cushioning in refrigerated warehouses due to its excellent insulation performance, workability, and adhesion. However, during the polyurethane injection process, chemical reactions can occur, raising the temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius and generating vapor.

Therefore, it is suspected that sparks generated during internal welding or cutting work may have met the vapor and caused an explosion. Most sparks occurring at construction sites originate from such work, and some workers have testified that welding was performed during the installation of a freight elevator on the second basement floor of the logistics warehouse where the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, the police have decided to request DNA testing for nine of the 38 deceased whose identities have not been confirmed. The DNA testing will be conducted by comparing samples with those from the bereaved families, and one sample was collected on the day for DNA analysis.

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