Wildfire, rockfalls block highway 18 in Chiayi County

The Chiayi Forest Management Office has advised the public to avoid highway 18 and use the alternative route 21 due to a wildfire and rockfalls that have blocked the road between the 68 and 69 kilometer mark. Firefighters have been fighting a difficult battle with a blaze in steep terrain below the road since yesterday afternoon, March 18. Fire fighting crews were dispatched from several local fire stations at around 2:00 pm yesterday. A National Airborne Service helicopter was also

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Unimicron stock drops as factory suffers second fire in three months

Printed circuit board (PCB) and integrated circuit (IC) manufacturer Unimicron Technology Corporation (TWSE: 3037) saw its stock price plummet this early this afternoon after a fire at its Taoyuan City factory at noon today, February 4. The Taoyuan City Fire department dispatched 42 vehicles and more than 100 personnel to the Shanying plant in Guishan District after thick black smoke was reported pouring out of the plant. According to reports, the fire started on the second floor of a building where

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Firefighters work overnight battling chemical factory fire in Kaohsiung City

Firefighters in Kaohsiung City worked through the night to extinguish a fire at a chemical plant in the Linyuan Industrial Park after an explosion and fire was reported at around 8:30 pm yesterday evening, January 29. Thirty-six vehicles and 75 personnel were dispatched from 14 fire stations to battle the blaze at the UPC Technology Corporation (1313.TW) plasticizer plant on Gongye 2nd Road. The fire destroyed around 300 square meters containing plasticizer dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and phthalic anhydride (PA) production

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Three family members dead after residential fire in Kaohsiung City

Three members of a family died after a fire in a four storey residential building in Kaohsiung City in the early hours of the morning today, January 15. The Kaohsiung City fire department responded to reports of a fire in Fengshan District at 4:44 am. Twenty-eight vehicles and 62 personnel were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found a 33-year-old woman named Wu, holding a one-year-old infant, on a balcony on the third floor calling for help. Firefighters raised

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Pharma factory fire spreads to 5 other factories and may not be extinguished until tomorrow

A fire that started after an explosion at the SCI Pharmtech factory in Taoyuan City shortly after noon today continues to burn this evening, and has spread to five neighboring factories. Large quantities of highly volatile solvents poured out of tanks after the initial explosion, making an intense fire, with risk of further explosions. These conditions prevented firefighters from approaching the main fire this afternoon. Strong winds generated by the northeast monsoon, and a sudden change in wind direction caused

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Pharmaceutical factory on fire after explosion: 2 injured

An explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Taoyuan City left two injured and caused a fire early this afternoon, December 20. People as far as Tamsui District in New Taipei City reported hearing the massive blast shortly after noon. Immediately after the blast, thick black smoke could be seen pouring out of the SCI Pharmtech factory. Firefighters responding to the fire found two people injured. A 30-year-old foreign migrant worker suffered third-degree burns to 80%-90% of his body, and is

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Laundromat gas explosion injures 4 in Tainan City

Four people were injured in Tainan City when a gas explosion and fire destroyed a self-service laundry in Tainan City yesterday evening, November 7. The Tainan City Fire Bureau received reports of an explosion and fire at a laundromat on Da-ren Street, Yongkang District at 9:29 pm. Twenty-six vehicles and 56 personnel were dispatched to the scene of the explosion. Three men and one woman were found injured. The most seriously injured was a 65-year-old man who suffered burns to

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Residential gas explosion leaves 4 dead, 1 injured in Taichung City

A family of three died when a gas explosion tore through their three-story residence, and a man in a neighboring house also died in the resulting fire, in the early hours of the morning today, September 19. The Taichung City Fire Bureau responded to emergency reports about an explosion in Longjing District at 4:17 am. Firefighters brought two fires under control by 5:08 am, only to find the charred remains of four people. In the house where the blast occurred,

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Nine injured in Taichung City restaurant gas explosion

Nine people were injured after a gas explosion in a beef noodle restaurant in Taichung City this evening, June 23. Shortly before 6:00 pm, two explosions blasted the restaurant near the intersection of Fenghe and Liming Roads in Nantun District, sending shards of glass across the road, injuring staff, customers, people passing by on the street, and even injuring one person at another noodle restaurant on the other side of the road. The Taichung City fire bureau received reports of

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At least 5 dead, 50 injured after KTV fire in Taipei City: Alarms and sprinkler system were switched off

Fifty four people were sent to hospital, and 5 have been declared dead after a fire at a popular KTV in Taipei City today, April 26. The Taipei City Fire Department dispatched 56 fire appliances, 23 ambulances, and 192 personnel to the Party World KTV on Linsen North Road in Zhongshan District after the fire was reported shortly before 11:00 am. According to the preliminary investigation, the fire broke out on the 5th floor of the 14-storey building, trapping people

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7 dead after arsonist sets fire to Buddhist commune

Seven people died and three were injured after a deliberately lit fire engulfed a building housing members of a Buddhist sect in Tainan City in the early hours of the morning today, December 14. The Tainan City Fire Department received reports of the fire in the rural Yujing District at around 1:20am. Eleven fire appliances and 21 personnel were dispatched to the three-storey building housing 46 members of a Buddhist commune. The fire was brought under control at around 3:15,

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