A deadly fire yesterday at an under-construction processing center in Taichung belonging to the PX Mart supermarket chain was caused by welding sparks, authorities said today.
Initial investigations into the blaze, which claimed nine lives and left eight others injured, revealed that sparks from welding on the third floor fell onto paint stored in the basement, according to the Taichung City Fire Bureau.
The fire was further intensified by highly combustible insulation materials inside the building, which produced thick smoke and left victims with no way to escape, Taichung City Fire Bureau head Sun Fu-yu (孫福佑) told reporters.
Photo courtesy of the Taichung fire bureau
Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the Ministry of Labor said that fire safety management at the site was inadequate, as the welding work was not conducted away from flammable materials or shielded by fire blankets as required by regulations.
Without proper protective measures, the building was subject to a "chimney effect" during the fire, making escape even more difficult, explained OSHA deputy head Wan Jung-fu (萬榮富).
The "chimney effect" refers to the upward movement of hot air and smoke in a tall, enclosed space, creating a vacuum that draws in more smoke and heat, worsening conditions for those inside.
Violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act's facility regulations could result in fines of up to NT$300,000 (US$9,174) per violation, Wan said.
The fire took place when the company was installing freezers at the processing center, which is near an existing processing center used to prepare fresh fish and meat supplied to its stores in central and southern Taiwan, a PX Mart executive surnamed Wu (吳) said earlier.
PX Mart, the largest supermarket chain in Taiwan, currently has over 1,200 branches around Taiwan, according to the figure mentioned in a sales campaign in early December.
According to local hospitals, five of the eight injured remained hospitalized as of today. They are in a relatively stable condition and being monitored for any signs of aspiration pneumonia.
Of the nine fatalities, seven were Taiwanese nationals, while two were migrant workers, including one undocumented Vietnamese worker, said Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕).
People can take the Taipei MRT free of charge if they access it at Nanjing Sanmin Station or Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line between 12am and 6am on Jan. 1, the Taipei Department of Transportation said on Friday, outlining its plans to ease crowding during New Year’s events in the capital. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Taipei, with singer A-mei (張惠妹) performing at the Taipei Dome and the city government’s New Year’s Eve party at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the department said. As people have tended to use the MRT’s Blue or
READY: The CGA said it closely monitored China’s maritime exercise, deployed vessels to shadow the Chinese ships one-on-one and set up emergency response centers Chinese navy and coast guard ships have returned to China, signaling the end of a massive maritime exercise, authorities said yesterday. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) released images it said showed Chinese vessels sailing north in rough seas past Taiwan on Thursday, on their way to China. “All the Chinese coast guard went back to China yesterday, so although they have not officially made any announcement, we consider it over,” CGA Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said. Beijing has not confirmed the drills and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not say whether the maneuvers had taken place when asked at a
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: As some roads would be fully or partially closed, people are advised to take the MRT, with services expanded to accommodate more riders This year’s Taipei Marathon, which has obtained its first gold label certification from World Athletics, is to be held from 5am to 1pm tomorrow and would have 28,000 participants. The race is to start from the Taipei City Plaza and would go through major roads throughout the city, with traffic control implemented from 6am to 2pm, officials said. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system and New Taipei City MRT Circle line would start operating at 5am on the day of the race, they said. The race would cover Renai Road, Xinyi Road, Hangzhou S Road, Aiguo east and west roads,
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
RSS