Nan Ya Plastics confirms no toxic gas released from plant fire

Taipei, April 7 (CNA) Nan Ya Plastics Corp. announced Sunday that no toxic gas was released following a fire that broke out earlier in the day in its plant in New Taipei's Taishan District.

Nan Ya said in a press release that the plastic raw materials housed in the five-floor plant building only produced non-toxic substances such as carbon dioxide after combustion.

The damaged materials included 100 tons of polypropylene and 200 tons of cast polypropylene film, resulting in financial losses totaling NT$14.3 million (US$445,370), the company said.

Previously, the New Taipei Environmental Protection Bureau issued a warning for residents of Linkou, Taishan, Wugu, Sanchong and Xinzhuang districts, as well as Taoyuan's Guishan District, in response to the fire that broke out around 2 a.m. at the facility on Nanlin Road.

According to the city's fire department, the blaze broke out on the fifth floor of a reinforced concrete building in the plant complex and burned an area of 2,857 square meters before being brought under control at 3:30 a.m.

There were no reports of deaths or injuries from the fire, the cause of which remains to be investigated, Nan Ya said.