Two Firefighters Perish While Battling Freezer Warehouse Blaze in Wando

Two firefighters died in the line of duty while engaged in firefighting operations at the scene of a freezer warehouse fire in Wando, South Jeolla Province. Their sacrifice serves as a stark reminder of the dangers present at fire scenes.

The fire broke out around 8:25 AM on April 12, 2026. Upon arrival at the scene, fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at approximately 9 AM and commenced firefighting operations.

Two firefighters who entered for an interior search lost contact around 9:02 AM. Around 10:02 AM, Fire Captain A from Wando Fire Station was discovered deceased, followed by Firefighter B from the Haenam Fire Station's regional unit around 11:23 AM.

The factory building, completed in 2009 and containing materials like sandwich panels, presented challenges for firefighting and internal searches.

One employee from a seafood company was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation but is not in life-threatening condition. The fire was fully extinguished around 11:26 AM, with 115 firefighters and 39 pieces of equipment deployed.

Following the incident, President Lee Jae-myung ordered the mobilization of all available personnel and equipment for rescue and firefighting efforts.