Fire breaks out at military shooting range, spreads to mountain in Incheon

A fire broke out at a military shooting range during training in Incheon on Wednesday, prompting a warning from the authorities.

According to Incheon Fire Department, the blaze started at a shooting range of Marine Corps 2nd Division at around 1:58 p.m., and spread to Mount Jinkang. 

The fire has affected some 300,000 square meters of Mount Jinkang as of 4 p.m. the fire authorities said. No casualties have been reported.

Receiving report from a resident, the fire authorities issued a stage 2 warning and dispatched some 52 pumpers and 452 fire officers. Korea Forest Service and the Seoul fire department also deployed helicopters for the work

When a Stage 2 warning is issued, personnel and equipment from five to six fire stations located around the scene of a fire are mobilized. In Stage 1 situations, the entire fire fighting force in charge of the area is deployed.

The authorities suspect the fire broke out while the Marine Corps were conducting mortar firing drills, and said they wereinvestigating the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.

“A big part of the fire has been extinguished and onlysmall fires are left, but because the affected area is so big, it is expected take a long time for completely put out of the fire,” an official from the fire authorities said.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)