A fire broke out at the Coupang No. 32 Logistics Center in Seoknam-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, at 6:54 a.m. on the 18th, and was contained after 61 hours at 8 p.m. on the 20th. [Photo = Yonhap News]

Massive fires occurring at logistics centers—vast spaces equivalent to dozens of soccer fields and loaded with millions of flammable products—always leave deep scars on our society. Following the 2021 fire at the Deokpyeong Logistics Center in Icheon, a recent fire at the Coupang logistics center in Incheon has once again heightened social awareness regarding fire safety.

Why do large-scale logistics facility fires continue to recur despite the various preventive measures and strengthened regulations implemented after every incident? I examine the questions raised while observing the sites and look for clues to the answers.

1. Recurring Large Fires: The Structural Limitations Faced on Site

Based on the testimonies of fire prevention experts and on-site workers, the spread of large-scale logistics center fires is driven by a complex interplay between the characteristics of flammable materials and the physical and environmental management limitations of modern large-scale buildings.

▲ Complex Facility Structure and Signal Transmission Variables

In massive spaces spanning tens of thousands of square meters and featuring multi-level rack structures, rapid detection and dissemination are paramount at the onset of a fire. However, as the scale of structures increases, the existing wired infrastructure connecting these broad spaces suffers from increasingly complex wiring paths. Furthermore, environmental variables exist where communication and alarm systems can be compromised by unexpected physical damage or extreme heat.

▲ Realistic Constraints on Maintenance

Structurally, it is not easy to perfectly inspect thousands of sensors and cables installed over a vast area. There are physical limitations to identifying the status of equipment hidden behind walls or deep inside high racks (steel shelving structures) in real time. The need for a more advanced, constant monitoring system has been consistently raised.

2. Leading Fire Safety Nations Find Answers in Wireless and IoT Technology Integration

To compensate for the structural limitations of such large facilities, fire-safety-leading nations like the U.S. and those in Europe have been enhancing fire safety efficiency for several years by utilizing systems based on wireless technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) for large logistics facilities and complex buildings.

▲ U.S. NFPA Standards and On-site Application

In the U.S. fire safety market, major companies like Johnson Controls and Honeywell are widely utilizing detection systems based on wireless mesh networks that can mitigate concerns regarding physical wiring damage during a fire. With independent power and wireless communication functions integrated into each sensor, surrounding devices organically exchange signals regardless of environmental changes in a specific area, swiftly relaying signs of fire to the fire control room and the cloud.

▲ European Intelligent Wireless Trends

Advanced systems from companies like Eaton apply multi-frequency channel hopping technology to improve communication stability even in complex site environments. Because physical wiring work is unnecessary, a characteristic feature is the ability to flexibly build a seamless detection system even when changing building layouts or expanding new storage areas.

3. The Time Has Come for the Diversification of Domestic Fire Safety Paradigms

The message delivered by the Coupang logistics center fire is clear: beyond supplementing traditional methods, there is a need to broaden the paradigm of fire safety infrastructure to suit the characteristics of modern buildings, which are becoming increasingly vast and complex.

Amidst this global shift, an official from Roze AI, a domestic company specializing in wireless fire safety, explained the effectiveness, industrial direction, and alternatives for wireless fire safety equipment in a recent interview:

“If we stick to existing wired methods, the cost burden from burial of wiring and construction delays during replacement work in aging buildings or large facilities will inevitably increase exponentially. Wireless IoT fire detection systems innovatively reduce cumbersome wiring processes while simultaneously providing constant automatic inspection and rapid automatic reporting functions using cutting-edge IoT technology.”

Furthermore, Roze AI stated that it is focusing its capabilities on global expansion, centering on the Southeast Asian market—including Vietnam—and North American hubs, based on its proprietary wireless IoT fire alarm system and AI fire forecasting technology. The point is that we must shift the safety paradigm from the existing structure of reactive response to one centered on data-based fire prevention.

There is an urgent need to expand the adoption of wireless fire safety equipment that reduces the constraints of wiring construction, operates flexibly within fire environments, and diagnoses the status of each device in real time via an IoT platform. Now, to break the cycle of recurring large-scale accidents, the fire safety industry and the National Fire Agency must gather wisdom with an open mind to find realistic alternatives.

◆ Park Pil-gyu, Editorial Committee Member

Executive Director, Wireless Fire Industry Cooperative