3 killed, 1 injured in Taichung furniture factory fire

Taipei, Oct. 2 (CNA) Three people were killed and another injured in a fire at a furniture factory in Taichung Wednesday, according to the city's Fire Bureau.

The bureau said it received a report at 5:23 a.m. about the fire in Xitun District and immediately deployed 30 fire engines and 84 fire fighters to the scene.

Fire fighters said the two-story iron structure was engulfed in flames when they arrived at the scene, with the fire extinguished at 9:01 a.m. after spreading to another iron structure covering an area of about 2,000 square meters.

The factory owner, identified as Kuo (郭), 70, escaped the blaze unassisted and was taken to Taichung Veterans General Hospital for treatment.

Although Kuo suffered second-degree burns affecting 30 percent of his body, he was conscious when rushed to the hospital, firemen said.

Kuo informed them that his wife, 69, son, 24, and nephew remained trapped inside the factory, but all three displayed no life signs when their bodies were found, firemen said.

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), who went to the scene shortly after the fire broke out, told reporters that many highly inflammable materials at the factory caused the fire to spread quickly.

According to Lu, Kuo's wife recently suffered a stroke and the family moved her to the factory, where their son could better take care of her.

More time is needed to clear up the scene before the cause of the fire can be determined, Lu said.

She also reminded people living downwind of the fire of possible smoke pollution caused by the fire at a time when Typhoon Krathon is approaching Taiwan.

According to the city government, the factory will be razed as it is an old and illegal structure that was never registered.

The factory has been under the oversight of the city government since 2017 and was previously ordered to improve fire safety and environment protection equipment.

It last passed a fire safety inspection in August 2023, the Fire Bureau said.