Fire authorities warn blaze could take time to extinguish as nearby schools, daycare centers close Smoke rises from a Coupang logistics center in Incheon on Monday, as the fire that broke out Saturday morning burned for a third day. (Yonhap) The massive fire at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon continued to burn Monday as firefighters concentrated on preventing the flames from reaching hundreds of lithium battery-powered.The blaze began at 6:54 a.m. Saturday on the sixth floor of one section of the center in Seoknam-dong, Seohae-gu, and spread to the seventh floor, according to the Incheon Seobu Fire Station.Firefighters had extinguished most of the flames in one of the center’s two buildings by Monday morning. However, officials said fully putting out the fire would take longer than initially expected.“The logistics center is very large, so it is likely to take a long time before the fire is fully extinguished,” Incheon Seobu Fire Station Chief Hur Seok-kyung said at a briefing held at the scene Monday.A total of 31 specialized firefighting vehicles were stationed around the building, while thermal-imaging drones were being used to locate pockets of heat inside.Crews were focusing on stopping the fire from spreading to the fifth floor, where hundreds of warehouse robots powered by lithium batteries were located. The batteries had a combined capacity equivalent to that of about 20 electric vehicles, Hur said.He warned that the fire could spread rapidly throughout the building if it reached the fifth floor.Firefighters were spraying the exterior to prevent heat from spreading between floors, as the building’s complex interior and large volume of combustible goods hampered efforts to reach the seat of the fire.A total of 813 firefighters and 231 pieces of equipment had been deployed under a national mobilization order issued Saturday. Crews were also working to prevent the blaze from reaching the nearby headquarters and plant of SK Incheon Petrochem.Hur said the sprinkler system had operated and the fire shutters were functioning when firefighters arrived. The fire safety equipment will be examined after the blaze is fully extinguished.Residents evacuatedAuthorities ordered residents within 116 meters of the warehouse’s ramp area to evacuate after discussions with Coupang officials and experts.Seohae-gu Deputy Mayor Kim Sang-seop said 169 people were staying at two emergency shelters. Authorities also installed a collapse warning system around the building as a precaution.Daycare centers and elementary schools in the area were advised to close on Monday. No deaths were reported, while two firefighters suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation and exhaustion.Coupang Fulfillment Services said it would provide financial and medical support to evacuees and distribute 13,500 masks to students and staff at eight nearby elementary schools.Police open investigationThe Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency formed a 35-member team to investigate the cause of the fire. Police plan to conduct a joint inspection with the National Forensic Service after firefighting operations end.A Coupang employee surnamed Kim told Yonhap News Agency that fire shutters had failed during previous false alarms and raised the possibility that boxes stacked on the sixth floor may have obstructed sprinklers.The claims have not been verified. Fire officials said the sprinklers had operated and the shutters were functioning when they arrived.The Coupang branch of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union called for an investigation into whether the building’s mezzanine structure contributed to the spread of the fire.