[Jack Aylmer]
AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO THE CAUSE OF A MASSIVE FIRE AT A U.S. MILITARY BASE IN SOUTH KOREA.
THE FIRE BROKE OUT AROUND 6:30 P.M. LOCAL TIME ON THURSDAY AT THE BUSAN NAVAL BASE, A KEY LOGISTICS SITE FOR U.S. MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE REGION.
SOCIAL MEDIA FOOTAGE SHOWS HUGE PLUMES OF BLACK SMOKE CONSUMING THE BASE, MAKING IT VISIBLE FROM FAR AWAY.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES SENT OUT A SAFETY ALERT, WARNING RESIDENTS NEARBY TO CLOSE WINDOWS.
ACCORDING TO THE YONHAP NEWS, THE FIRE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED.
IT TOOK NEARLY 19 HOURS WITH FIREFIGHTERS FINALLY DECLARING THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL AT 1:34 P-M FRIDAY.
THE BUSAN NAVAL BASE PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN JOINT OPERATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND SOUTH KOREA, SUPPORTING UP TO 30 VESSELS, INCLUDING U.S. NIMITZ-CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND SOUTH KOREAN AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS.
A TOTAL OF 160 FIREFIGHTERS AND 51 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WERE DISPATCHED TO TACKLE THE FLAMES.
AN OFFICIAL EXPLAINED THAT WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF MILITARY SUPPLIES ON SITE, THERE WAS A MAJOR EFFORT TO KEEP THE FLAMES FROM REACHING ADJACENT WAREHOUSES.
OFFICIALS SAY THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN A COLD STORAGE AREA INSIDE A WAREHOUSE, WHICH WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE TIME.
THE U.S. ARMY ALSO ANNOUNCED THERE ARE NO PLANS TO INVESTIGATE WORKERS, CITING NO ONE WAS ON SITE.
NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS AND BRING YOU UPDATES AS THEY COME IN.
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FOR SAN, I’M JACK AYLMER