Firefighters in Incheon are battling a massive blaze at Coupang’s 32nd logistics centre that has burned for more than 55 hours [1].
The situation is critical because the fire threatens the facility's fifth floor, which houses hundreds of logistics robots [2]. If the flames reach these machines, their lithium batteries could ignite and cause the fire to escalate rapidly [1].
The fire began July 18, 2024, in Zone 1 on the sixth floor and spread to the seventh floor [1]. It subsequently expanded to encompass the sixth and seventh floors of Zone 2 [1].
Heo Seok-gyeong, chief of the Incheon West Fire Station, said the initial blaze started on the sixth floor of Zone 1 and moved to the seventh, before expanding to the sixth and seventh floors of Zone 2 [1].
Emergency crews are currently prioritizing the containment of the lower levels to protect the robotic fleet. Fire authorities said that because hundreds of lithium-battery-powered logistics robots are located on the fifth floor, there is a possibility that the combustion would expand rapidly if the fire spreads there [1].
Coupang operates the facility in the Seo-hae district of Incheon. The prolonged nature of the fire and the risk of battery-led acceleration have forced responders to employ strategic containment measures to prevent a larger catastrophe [1, 2].
“the fire threatens the facility's fifth floor, which houses hundreds of logistics robots”
This incident highlights the significant safety risks associated with the scaling of automated logistics. The potential for 'thermal runaway' in hundreds of lithium batteries creates a high-risk environment for first responders, as traditional firefighting methods may be insufficient to stop a rapid chemical chain reaction once the batteries are ignited.
