The fire broke out at about 8:25 a.m. Sunday at a seafood processing plant in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, according to fire authorities. A seven-member crew arrived within six minutes and entered the 3,693-square-meter facility to rescue a plant worker who had inhaled smoke.
After pulling the worker to safety, the crew briefly withdrew. When fresh plumes of smoke appeared from another section of the warehouse, the team re-entered at about 8:45 a.m. to finish suppression, believing the fire was nearly contained.
Minutes later, flammable vapors from epoxy and urethane materials that had accumulated near the sealed ceiling ignited, producing a flashover that sent flames erupting through the entrance. Commanders radioed evacuation orders three to four times, but two firefighters could not escape.
A rapid intervention team located the body of a 44-year-old fire lieutenant from Wando Fire Station at about 10:02 a.m., roughly five meters from the entrance. A 31-year-old firefighter from Haenam Fire Station was found dead at 11:23 a.m. The blaze was fully extinguished three minutes later.
Authorities believe the fire started when a worker used a blowtorch to strip paint from walls lined with urethane foam insulation and finished with sandwich panels. The sealed structure, designed to maintain freezing temperatures, trapped smoke and hindered rescue efforts. Police and fire investigators are probing the exact cause.
President Lee Jae Myung paid tribute to the pair, saying they "rushed to the most dangerous scene to protect lives and fulfilled their duty to the very last moment," in a X post. He vowed the government would ensure all frontline personnel can operate in safer conditions.
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