Two die in Taichung housing complex fire

Taichung, March 1 (CNA) A fire broke out early Saturday morning at a housing complex in Taichung's South District, killing a father and daughter, according to local authorities.

Taichung's Fire Bureau received a report of a fire in an eight-story building at 2:41 a.m. Arriving at the scene, the firefighters saw fire and smoke rising from the first floor, before extinguishing the blaze at 3:04 a.m. using water hoses.

Two people were taken out of the building without any vital signs, a man surnamed Lin (林) and his eldest daughter. They were pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts at nearby hospitals failed.

According to sources, the 66-year-old Lin lived with the daughter, aged 32. The police later informed his younger daughter of the news.

As Lin was economically disadvantaged, the District Office gave the younger daughter a bereavement payment of NT$10,000 (US$303.69) and pledged to connect the family with social groups to assist with subsequent issues.

According to a preliminary investigation by firefighters, the fire likely resulted from faulty wiring in the family's apartment near the television cabinet and burned about 20 square meters of the living room.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, however, firefighters said. Autopsies will also be conducted to clarify the cause of the father's and daughter's deaths.