9 dead after fire engulfs warehouse in Taichung City

Nine people were found dead and 7 were injured after a fire engulfed a warehouse under construction in Taichung City yesterday, Thursday, December 19.

Taichung City Fire Department received reports of a fire at the 8,692-square-meter warehouse on Shatin Road, Dadu District at around 1:25 pm.

Firefighters rescued 14 people trapped in the building. Some were rescued from balconies using a ladder truck.

Five deceased workers were found on the third floor mezzanine, not far from an exit. It is believed that they were unable to find the exit due to poor visibility, and were overcome by the thick smoke. Another three deceased were found on the fourth floor. A Vietnamese migrant worker died after jumping from a fourth-floor window in an attempt to escape the flames.

Taichung City Fire Department said the fire is suspected to have started in the basement due to welding sparks falling down a stairway gap from the third floor. The sparks came into contact with flammable materials such as paint or adhesives which were being used during flooring work in the basement. The fire appears to have spread quickly through the four-storey building, as flammable building materials, including Styrofoam insulation material was stacked ready for installation.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to rescue five people from a third-floor balcony.

The warehouse was in the final stages of construction, and in the process of having insulation and equipment installed to serve as a fresh produce facility for the PixMart supermarket chain.

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