Taoyuan airport flights unaffected by nearby factory fire smoke

Taipei, May 4 (CNA) A fire at a factory in Taoyuan's Luzhu District sent thick smoke drifting over Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday morning but did not disrupt flight operations, according to local authorities.

The Taoyuan International Airport Corp. said the smoke was clearly visible from inside the terminal, but takeoffs and landings continued as scheduled.

"Passengers do not need to worry," the airport said.

Taoyuan Fire Department officials said they received a report of a blaze in a single-story industrial structure at 9:13 a.m. Fire trucks and ambulances were immediately dispatched, the department said.

Roughly 100 metric tons of palm oil and other vegetable oils were stored at the site, the department added.

No one was reported trapped or injured, according to the department. The cause of the fire and the extent of property damage remain under investigation.

The Taoyuan Department of Environmental Protection said on Facebook that downwind areas might be affected by smoke odors.

"Try to stay indoors, close doors and windows, and minimize going outside," the department said, adding that masks should be worn if going outside is necessary.

The department also advised vulnerable individuals to take additional precautions to avoid health risks.

The department said potentially affected areas include Puxin, Zhuwei and Kuolin wards in Dayuan District, as well as Kengkou Ward in Luzhu District.