Disaster

Sand and gravel factory spill kills passing motorist

taxi buried by soil
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A taxi driver died after a pile of soil collapsed and burst through the sheet metal walls of a sand and gravel factory onto a road in Guishan District, Taoyuan City this morning, October 12. Taoyuan City police said that the incident happened around 4:30 am on East Wanshou Road. The soil spill completely blocked one side of the road. A 56-year-old taxi driver, named Dai(戴), who passing by at the time was buried alive in the soil collapse. Taoyuan

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No casualties in Hualien building collapse: motorist seen in dashcam footage found safe

collapsing building and scooter rider
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

It is believed there were no casualties caused by a building collapse in Hualien City earlier today after rescue crews performed a thorough search using specialized equipment, and a man seen riding a scooter under the collapsing building was traced by police and found safe. See Previous story: Hotel under demolition collapses onto road in Hualien City Early reports on the collapse of the former Manbo Holiday Hotel included dashcam video footage that showed a scooter rider in the path

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Hotel under demolition collapses onto road in Hualien City

collapsed building in Hualien City aerial view
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A six story building collapsed onto a road in Hualien City during demolition work this afternoon and rescue crews are searching for possible casualties. The former Manbo Holiday Hotel on Guolian 5th Road collapsed onto the roadway at around 3:00 pm. While it is not known if there were any casualties, dashcam footage of the collapse shows a person passing by on a scooter at the time. At least three parked vehicles were crushed by the collapsed building. Hualien County

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Family rescued after teen locks them in and sets apartment on fire

firetrucks in Sanxia District
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Firefighters in New Taipei City used a ladder truck to rescue a family of four from a balcony, after they were locked in a burning apartment by a sixteen year old unhappy about being restricted from playing online games and watching TV this morning, September 27. Firefighters in Sanxia District responded to reports of a fire in a 14-storey building on Xuecheng Road at around 3:00 am. Four people were found trapped on the balcony of their burning 6th floor

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Residential fire death toll rises to 4 after 7-year-old succumbs to injuries

firefighters Sanxia District fire
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Four of seven victims have died, and one remains in a critical condition today, four days after a fire destroyed a residence in Sanxia District, New Taipei City. Three people were left dead, and four were injured, three critically, after a fire broke out on the first floor of the six story apartment building on Minsheng Street in the early hours of Wednesday morning, August 11. Six of the occupants had lost vital signs before or during rescue operations, according

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Swarm of 30 earthquakes shakes Taiwan’s east coast this morning

earthquake map July 14, 2021
Earthquakes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A series of 27 earthquakes with the largest at magnitude 5.2 centered in Hualien County shook Taiwan’s east coast this morning but only minor damage was reported. Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said that the earthquakes are probably aftershocks from a rare double-main shock event that happened last week. Tuesday and Wednesday July 7 and 8 saw a series of 15 earthquakes with two shocks over magnitude 5 centered around Shoufong Township. At 6:52 am this morning, July 14, a

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Four dead including one firefighter in COVID quarantine hotel fire

firetrucks at scene of quarantine hotel fire in Changhua City
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Four people died, including one firefighter, and 22 people were injured after a fire in a building housing a quarantine hotel in Changhua City last night, June 30. A fire broke out on the second floor of the 15-storey Qiaoyou Building at around 7:45 pm. Twenty-nine people under mandatory quarantine, and two employees were in the hotel on the 7th to 9th floors when the fire broke out. Changhua County Fire Department received the first reports of the fire at

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Coal conveyor on fire at Taichung Power Plant

fire at Taichung Power Plant
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

A fire that consumed around one hundred meters of a coal conveyor belt at the Taichung Power Plant this morning is now under control and power supplies will not be affected according to state power supplier Taipower today, Thursday, June 10. According to reports, the conveyor belt began to emit smoke and flames shortly after 7:00 am. A total of 11 fire fighting appliances and 24 personnel were dispatched from the onsite fire station, and four other surrounding stations. The

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Fireworks factory explosion leaves Filipino man critically injured

Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A Philippines national is fighting for his life in hospital after an explosion and fire at a fireworks factory in Chiayi County this afternoon, Sunday, June 6. The Chiayi County Fire Department received reports of an explosion and fire at the Yongfeng Pyrotechnic Factory in Dongshi Township at around 2:20 pm. Because the fire was located in a pyrotechnics factory, the fire department spared no precautions, and dispatched eleven vehicles and a large number of personnel to the scene from

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Firefighters airlifted to central mountains, hike 5 hours to fight forest fire

firefighters from Chiayi Forest Management Office
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A team of firefighters was flown to a landing point in a remote area of Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range, and faced a further 5-hour hike to reach a fire on Dashuiku Mountain today, May 16. Chiayi Forest Management Office dispatched the team after a fire was reported at around 4:00 am this morning from the Yushan (Mt Jade) Weather Station. As it would normally take three days to hike to the remote location, it was decided to dispatch a helicopter

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Magnitude 5.8 and 6.2 earthquakes just 3 minutes apart shake Taiwan

earthquake intensity map
Earthquakes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake was followed three minutes later by one of magnitude 6.2, both centered in Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast, late Sunday evening, April 18. The first quake struck at 10:11 pm with an epicenter 19.2 kilometers southwest of Hualien County Hall at a focal depth of 15 kilometers, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB). At 10:14 pm a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck with an epicenter at almost the same location, 20.2 kilometers southwest of Hualien

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