1 unresponsive after escaping PX Mart facility fire

Taichung, Dec. 19 (CNA) A worker at supermarket chain PX Mart's food processing site in Taichung showed no signs of life after jumping from the third floor of the building to escape from a fire that broke out around 1 p.m. on Thursday, the city's Fire Bureau said.

After being alerted to the fire, firefighters were dispatched to the five-story facility run by a PX Mart subsidiary in Taichung's Dadu District, which was shrouded in heavy smoke, the bureau said.

An employee was found with no signs of life after jumping from the third floor to escape, the bureau said. The individual was subsequently taken to hospital.

According to the bureau, 16 people remained trapped on the third floor and top floor of the building as of 2:36 p.m.

The bureau added that Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) was heading to the site.

Update: PX Mart Taichung facility fire toll rises to 9 after 5 bodies found