A fire broke out on a South Korean Navy submarine during maintenance work at a shipyard in Ulsan, triggering a major emergency response. While the blaze was quickly brought under control, one civilian worker remains missing, and authorities are now investigating the cause of the incident.
Fire Breaks Out During Submarine Maintenance in Ulsan Dockyard
A serious fire broke out on a South Korean Navy submarine undergoing maintenance at a shipyard in Ulsan on Thursday afternoon. The incident happened while repair and technical servicing work was being carried out inside the vessel. The fire started around 1:58 p.m. in the aft, or rear, section of the submarine.
The submarine involved is the Hong Beom-do (SS-079), which had been brought in for scheduled maintenance. Smoke and flames were quickly detected, prompting an immediate emergency response. Firefighters rushed to the site and worked to control the blaze inside the tightly enclosed structure of the vessel.
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A total of 57 firefighters and 31 pieces of equipment were deployed to the scene. The fire was brought under control by around 3:04 p.m., roughly one hour after it began. No explosion was reported, but the confined space made firefighting efforts more challenging.
Missing Civilian Worker Raises Concern as Emergency Response Continues
No injuries were reported among naval personnel after a fire broke out on a South Korean Navy submarine in Ulsan, but one civilian worker is missing. The incident happened during maintenance work at a shipyard where the submarine was docked for repairs and technical servicing.
The missing person is understood to be a subcontracted worker in her 60s who was involved in maintenance activities. She was believed to be inside or near the submarine when the fire started. After the blaze was brought under control, she could not be located, prompting immediate search operations.
Rescue teams began searching inside and around the submarine, but conditions were difficult. Parts of the vessel remained hot and filled with smoke even after the fire was extinguished. Visibility was very low, and crews had to carefully check narrow and complex sections of the submarine to ensure no area was missed.
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Authorities confirmed that all naval personnel were safely evacuated and no additional injuries were reported at the site. Workers were moved away from the danger zone soon after smoke and flames were detected.
The situation raised concern because submarines have confined spaces, limited exits, and sensitive systems. Fire inside such environments can spread quickly and create serious risks.
Emergency teams also worked to prevent damage to fuel lines, electrical wiring, and other critical systems while ensuring the fire did not reignite.
Investigation Begins as Cause of Fire During Maintenance Remains Unclear
Authorities have launched an investigation into the fire that broke out inside a South Korean Navy submarine during maintenance work in Ulsan. Early reports suggest the blaze likely began within the submarine while repair activities were underway, but the exact cause has not yet been confirmed.
Investigators are examining several possible factors, including electrical faults, equipment malfunction, or maintenance-related activities that may have triggered the fire. At the time, multiple systems inside the submarine were being inspected and serviced, increasing complexity and risk.
The maintenance work was being carried out by a major shipbuilding company that originally built the submarine. The vessel was constructed in 2016. Launched in the same year, the vessel was delivered to the South Korean Navy in 2018. Since then, it has remained in active service.
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Officials are also reviewing safety procedures at the dockyard. They are checking whether fire prevention systems were properly active. They are also verifying whether all required safety protocols were followed during maintenance work inside the submarine.
Fire response teams deployed 57 personnel and 31 pieces of equipment to control the blaze. Their coordinated efforts brought the fire under control in just over an hour. The fire was prevented from spreading beyond the rear section of the vessel.
As the investigation continues, teams are collecting evidence from damaged areas inside the submarine. This includes electrical systems and structural sections affected by the fire. The goal is to determine the exact sequence of events.