Massive Blaze Erupts on U.S. Military Base in South Korea Amid Rising Tensions (Video)

A large fire broke out Thursday evening on a U.S. military base in Busan, South Korea, sparking fears and attracting attention as tensions with North Korea reach a boiling point. At exactly 6:31 p.m. local time, a warehouse at the Busan Storage Center erupted into flames.

A shocking video shows huge clouds of thick black smoke and blazing fire engulfing the building.

The U.S. Army Garrison Daegu (USAG Daegu), responsible for U.S. military operations in the area, confirmed the fire. “We activated emergency help from the Busan Fire Department for this warehouse fire,” they reported. “Thankfully, the warehouse was empty and no one was inside.”

Public Affairs Officer Phil Molter later told DailyMail.com that while the fire is mostly under control, firefighters are still working on some smaller, lingering hot spots. This was no small operation; over 160 firefighters and 51 fire trucks and equipment were used to bring the fire under control. At one point, the Busan Fire Department even raised its emergency response level to a Level 2, calling in help from 11 nearby fire stations.

The U.S. military presence in South Korea, known as U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), has long been a stabilizing force in the region. But right now, tensions with North Korea are at their highest point in years, with leader Kim Jong Un speeding up his country’s weapons production despite international pressure to stop.

Adding fuel to the fire, just last month, a powerful U.S. submarine, the USS Vermont, pulled into Busan for supplies and crew rest. North Korea took this as a threat. Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, fired back with her own threat, saying, “The U.S. will never find a safe resting place here,” and that North Korea’s nuclear power will grow “without limits.”

The U.S. military has not backed down. In June, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea held a three-day military exercise in the East China Sea, a clear signal of strength to North Korea. When a powerful U.S. aircraft carrier group arrived in Busan for the exercises, North Korea called the move “provocative” and “dangerous.”

With so much happening, this fire in Busan only adds to the growing tension in the region. U.S. Forces Korea remains a critical force in protecting South Korea and keeping the peace in Northeast Asia, even as the situation with North Korea grows more unpredictable.