Steel corrosion suspected in Taichung balcony collapse

Taichung, Oct. 14 (CNA) An overhanging balcony on the fourth floor of a residential building in Taichung collapsed at around 4 a.m. Tuesday, in an incident suspected to have been caused by steel corrosion, according to the city government.

The Urban Development Bureau said a preliminary investigation indicated that corrosion in the steel structure may have caused the collapse, though the exact cause remains under investigation.

A photo from the scene shows the fourth-floor balcony missing and chunks of concrete scattered on the ground, with the metal window grilles on the third floor damaged, apparently by the falling debris.

The seven-story building, part of a community about 230 households in Taiping District, was built more than 30 years ago, said local ward chief Lin Yung-liu (林泳鰡).

Lin said the two-ton balcony collapsed with a loud bang, waking residents and sending them rushing outside to see what had happened. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

The Urban Development Bureau has ordered the residents' committee to assess the safety of all balconies within 14 days, warning that failure to comply could result in a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000 (US$1,950-US$9,753).

The residents' committee has also lodged a complaint with the developer, urging it to take moral responsibility for the incident, according to Lin.