Man critically injured in fire at Taitung air base

Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) A contractor fell into a 12-meter-deep oil tank at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County and suffered severe burns after a fire broke out while he was handling residual oil Friday afternoon, according to the county's Fire Department.

The fire department said the contractor, surnamed Chang (張), fell into the tank and showed no vital signs after the accident.

Although Chang regained a pulse after being rushed to a hospital, he remained in critical condition, the fire department said.

The department said it received a report at around 4 p.m. Friday that a man had fallen into an underground oil tank at the air base and immediately sent rescue personnel to the scene.

Before rescue crews arrived at the scene, air base personnel had already brought the fire under control, the department said.

Air base personnel found Chang, who is in his 60s, in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and rushed him to Taitung MacKay Memorial Hospital.

According to the hospital, Chang regained spontaneous circulation after resuscitation but remained in critical condition after suffering burns to more than 90 percent of his body.

Military authorities said the fire broke out accidentally while a contractor was handling residual oil from a tank at the air base in southeastern Taiwan.

As the operation was being carried out under the Army Logistics Command, the Army will provide further information about the incident, military authorities said.