4 killed in fire at building materials store in Yilan

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Four members of a family were killed in a fire at a building materials store in Yilan County late Saturday, local authorities said Sunday.

The four victims were the wife and two children of the property owner, a man surnamed Yu (游), as well as his father, according to the Yilan County Fire Bureau.

They were found inside the building by firefighters and taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead despite emergency treatment, the bureau said.

The bureau said it received a report at 10:36 p.m. Saturday of a fire at a three-story building on Wenquan Road in Yuanshan Township, opposite Yuan Shan Junior High School.

Heavy smoke was billowing from the building and several people were reportedly trapped inside, according to the bureau. Firefighters arriving at the scene found flames shooting from the second floor, while explosions could be heard.

Yu managed to escape on his own, while firefighters rescued his mother, who was conscious and taken to a hospital for examination, according to the bureau.

The blaze was brought under control at 1:12 a.m. Sunday and extinguished at 3:14 a.m., the bureau said.

During a search of the building, firefighters found the bodies of Yu's wife, surnamed Shih (施), their two children and Yu's father.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the fire bureau.