BUSAN, South Korea – A fire of unknown origin spread quickly in a warehouse at the U.S. Army Garrison Daegu’s Busan Storage Center on the evening of Oct. 24, 2024. The building was empty and unoccupied and under renovation at that time.

While the warehouse appears to be a total loss, fortunately there were no injuries to either the warehouse or the firefighters who attacked the fire.

Chang, Chun Ki, team leader of USAG Daegu’s Busan Fire Department, was on a routine patrol in the BSC when he noticed the smoke and raised the alarm around 6:30 p.m. The fire suppression and alarm systems were offline due to the renovation progress, and the cold storage 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 to the Busan area for BSC and Pier 8. Two additional engines were shipped from Camp Walker in Daegu, almost two hours away.

The response from the Busan Fire Department was phenomenal. In total, nearly 60 fire trucks and more than 150 firefighters took part in the battle. As the fire spread and began to threaten buildings adjacent to the installation, the combined USAG Daegu FD and Korean firefighters remained in defensive mode to prevent the fire from spreading.

Their efforts were extremely effective. Although the fire completely destroyed the warehouse, the major damage was limited to this building alone.

“All of these efforts are a testament to the incredible talent we have here at USAG Daegu,” said Deputy Garrison Commander Chester “Chet” Witkowski. “From the firefighters themselves, to the team that ran our Emergency Operations Center, to our Emergency Services Department, to our Public Works Department, to our Plans Department, to our Training Department, from mobility and security, to safety and public affairs, all these staff worked 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 just below the country’s fire chief.)

“As we spoke, I was struck by Commissioner Kim’s expression of camaraderie, that there is a special brotherhood among firefighters, that no matter what department you work in or your nationality when you light a fire,” he said. .

USAG Daegu Fire Chief Francis “Tag” Tagalog echoed Commissioner Kim’s thoughts.

“The collaboration between USAG Daegu Fire and Emergency Services and firefighters from Busan Fire Department was truly commendable, demonstrating the importance of teamwork in emergency situations,” he said. said Tagalog. “The establishment of unified command and the formulation of an incident action plan demonstrated the strength of brotherhood among firefighters, resulting in rapid response and firefighting tactics. well-coordinated fire efforts that ultimately prevented the fire from spreading to neighboring facilities. The success of this incident is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our firefighters in protecting our community.

After concerted efforts lasting nearly five hours, the fire was brought under control around 11 p.m. American and Korean firefighters remained on scene throughout the night and the fire was completely extinguished around 8 a.m. on October 25.

There is no indication of foul play and an investigation into the cause is ongoing.

The warehouse, built in 1962, was a cold storage facility for perishable inventory, and the renovation project included an upgrade to the refrigeration system as well as alarm and fire suppression systems. All asbestos-containing materials were removed from the building before renovations began on October 11, 2024.

The Busan Storage Center, located in the Dong-gu or eastern district of Busan, houses several warehouses and storage facilities, mainly to receive supplies brought to South Korea via Busan Pier 8.

U.S. Army Garrison Daegu manages base operations at six U.S. Army installations and 11 locations in South Korea’s Zone IV, which extends from Daejeon to Busan. As the peninsula’s enduring hub, it also provides support to the U.S. Navy in Chinhae Fleet activities in Jinhae and to the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Mujuk in Pohang.

Major facilities 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 the U.S. Army Materiel Supply Center Korea.