Fire explosion in Tainan injures 13, damages homes, vehicles

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) A fire and subsequent explosion in a residential area in Tainan early Saturday injured 13 people and damaged eight homes and 20 vehicles, according to the Tainan City Government Fire Bureau.

As of press time, the fire had been extinguished and an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the incident, the bureau said.

The bureau said it received a report at 1:12 a.m. of a fire involving waste materials in a vacant lot on Haidian Road in Annan District and immediately dispatched 53 firetrucks and 144 firefighters to the scene.

The fire was intense and was followed by an explosion, which spread the flames to eight nearby homes and damaged 11 cars, six firetrucks, one ambulance and two disaster relief vehicles, the bureau said.

Thirty-six residents in the affected area were evacuated. Three firefighters and 10 other people sustained minor injuries, mostly abrasions and burns, and were sent to hospitals for treatment, the bureau said.

Fortunately, the 13 injured were all discharged after treatment, the bureau added.

The explosion caused multiple injuries, prompting the activation of a major-injury response mechanism, the bureau said. Foam and water cannons were used to contain the fire, while police, Taiwan Power Co., the gas company and the water company were notified, the bureau added.

The Tainan City Government's air quality and pollutant sampling data showed no abnormalities after the incident.

A preliminary investigation found aluminum-magnesium alloy and waste oil at the fire site, the bureau said.

The incident sparked discussion on Facebook, with some residents saying they initially mistook the explosion for thunder.

(By Chang Jung-hsiang and Frances Huang)

Enditem/KL