Chiayi residential fire results in 3 deaths, 1 injury

Taipei, May 8 (CNA) A fire broke out in a residential building where a family of seven lived in Taibao, Chiayi County on Tuesday night, resulting in three people dying and another left injured, the local fire authority said.

After receiving a report at 9:24 p.m. on Tuesday that the family of seven were trapped in the building, the Chiayi County Fire Department dispatched 17 fire trucks and vehicles, and 38 firefighters to the scene, the department said in a statement Wednesday.

Upon their arrival, firefighters found the father, in his 40s, and his three daughters had fled the building. The father had burn injuries and was sent to hospital for treatment, while the three girls were taken to a police station so emergency shelter could be arranged for them, according to the fire department.

After bringing the fire under control, firefighters discovered a 3-year-old boy who suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and was later pronounced dead in hospital, according to the department.

The 41-year-old mother and a 7-year-old boy were subsequently found dead in the building.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, the department said.

According to the county government, the family -- two parents and five children -- is a low-income household.

The three girls are in elementary school and are being cared for by relatives. The Education Department will arrange the necessary counseling and support so they can continue their studies, it added.