Massive Fire at Kumho Tire Gwangju Factory: Black Smoke Blankets City

Gwangju, South Korea — May 18, 2025 — Firefighters have made significant progress in battling a massive blaze at the Kumho Tire Gwangju factory, with containment reaching 70–75% roughly 14 hours after the fire broke out early Saturday morning. The fire began at approximately 7:11 a.m. on May 17 in the compounding process area of Factory No. 2, where raw rubber and chemicals are mixed to produce tire materials. Initial reports suggest the fire started when a spark ignited inside an industrial preheating oven, triggering a rapid spread of flames due to the flammable nature of the rubber materials. By 8:50 p.m., fire authorities confirmed that while initial fears predicted the complete loss of Factory No. 2, only about 60% of the building was damaged. Crews successfully established firebreaks to prevent the blaze from spreading to adjacent areas, including a nearby lot filled with finished tires—estimated to be the size of one and a half football fields. Fire crews, including 350 personnel, 15 high-performance chemical fire engines, 9 helicopters, and 2 high-capacity foam cannons, have been deployed under a National Fire Mobilization Order—the highest emergency response level. Officials believe full containment could be achieved as early as today. Overnight efforts significantly reduced the thick black smoke that had previously blanketed the sky, signaling effective control of the main fire zone. Helicopter-assisted aerial firefighting is continuing throughout Sunday to extinguish remaining hot spots. For details: https://www.koreantopik.com/2025/05/massive-fire-at-kumho-tire-gwangju.html