An elementary school was evacuated yesterday, and classes will be suspended today, after a fire in a nearby tire recycling factory emitted a plume of thick, black, toxic-smelling smoke in Bali District, New Taipei City.

The New Taipei City Fire Department received reports of a fire at the Xianxiang Technology Company tire recycling factory on Guanhai Avenue at 1:52 pm. 72 vehicles and 155 personnel were dispatched to deal with the fire. Four employees were sent to hospital with minor injuries. The fire was brought under control at 2:34 pm.

Students and staff at the neighboring Dakan Elementery School were evacuated due to thick smoke and odors from the fire. At 3:00 pm, classes were ordered suspended for the rest of the day and parents were asked to pick up their children.

After an assessment by the city government last night, the school was advised to suspend classes for one day today, Friday, February 24.

Main picture: New Taipei City Councilor Cheng Yu-en, Facebook.

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