
BUSAN, South Korea – A fire of unknown origin spread quickly through a warehouse on U.S. Army Garrison Daegu’s Busan Storage Center during the evening hours of October 24, 2024. The building was empty and unoccupied, and undergoing renovation at the time.
While the warehouse appears to be a total loss, there were fortunately no injuries either in the warehouse or among the firefighters who attacked the blaze.
USAG Daegu Fire Department’s Busan Crew Chief, Chang, Chun Ki, was on a routine patrol through BSC when he noticed the smoke and called in the alarm at about 6:30 p.m. Fire suppression and alarm systems were off-line due to the renovation in progress, and the cold storage warehouse was specifically included in his patrol.
The Garrison immediately activated standing mutual aid agreements with the Busan Fire Department and dispatched the two fire engines in the Busan area for BSC and Pier 8. Two additional engines were dispatched from Camp Walker in Daegu, nearly two hours away.
The response by the Busan Fire Department was phenomenal. All told, there were almost 60 fire engines and more than 150 firefighters joining the battle. As the fire grew and began to threaten adjacent buildings on the installation, the combined USAG Daegu FD and Korean firefighters stayed in defensive mode to prevent the fire from spreading.
Their efforts were extremely effective. While the fire completely engulfed the warehouse, major damage was contained to that single building.
“The entire effort speaks to the incredible talent we have here in USAG Daegu,” said Deputy to the Garrison Commander Chester “Chet” Witkowski. “From the firefighters themselves, to the team who manned our Emergency Operations Center to our Department of Emergency Services, Department of Public Works, Department of Plans, Training, Mobility and Security, Safety and Public Affairs, all those personnel performed like clockwork to stay in front of what was the largest fire I have seen in my 18 years with the Army Installation Management Command.”
Witkowski took the opportunity after the fire to thank Busan Fire Commissioner Kim, Jo Il for his department’s efforts. (In South Korea, Kim ranks only below the country’s head of firefighting.)
“While we spoke, I was struck by Commissioner Kim’s expression of camaraderie, that there is a special brotherhood among firefighters, that it doesn’t matter what department you’re with or your nationality when you’re engaging a fire,” he said.
USAG Daegu Fire Chief Francis “Tag” Tagalog echoed Commissioner Kim’s thoughts.
“The collaboration between the USAG Daegu Fire & Emergency Services and Busan Fire Department firefighters was truly commendable, showcasing the importance of teamwork in emergency situations,” Tagalog said. “Establishing the unified command and formulating an incident action plan demonstrated the strength of the brotherhood amongst firefighters, resulting in a swift response and well-coordinated firefighting tactics that ultimately prevented the fire from spreading to nearby facilities. The successful outcome of this incident serves as a testament to the dedication and expertise of our firefighters in protecting our community.”
After concerted efforts lasting almost five hours, the fire was brought under control around 11 p.m. Both U.S. and Korean firefighters remained on scene throughout the night, and it was fully extinguished about 8 a.m. on October 25.
There is no indication of foul play, and investigation into the cause is ongoing.
The warehouse, built in 1962, was cold storage for perishable stocks, and the renovation project included an upgrade to the refrigeration system as well as fire alarm and suppression systems. All asbestos materials had been abated from the building before the renovation started on October 11, 2024.
Busan Storage Center, located in the Dong-gu or East District of Busan, houses multiple warehouses and storage facilities, mainly to receive supplies brought to South Korea via Busan’s Pier 8.
U.S. Army Garrison Daegu manages base operations on six U.S. Army installations and 11 sites in Area IV of South Korea, stretching from Daejeon to Busan. As an enduring hub on the peninsula, it also provides support to the U.S. Navy at Fleet Activities Chinhae in Jinhae and the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Mujuk in Pohang.
Major installations include Camps Henry, Walker, and George in Daegu; Camp Carroll in Waegwan; Pier 8 and Busan Storage Center in Busan; and other smaller outposts. Major tenant units include the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, 403rd Army Field Support Brigade and U.S. Army Material Supply Center-Korea.
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