Hotel under demolition collapses onto road in Hualien City

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 Fire Department specialist search and rescue teams are searching the site for possible casualties or trapped people using life detection equipment.

The hotel, located near the Hualien Railway Station was once a popular accommodation choice, especially with tourists from China. However, its fortunes began to decline in 2016 and the building was sold to new owners in 2017.

Demolition of the hotel began around two weeks ago and demolition crews using excavators were working on the demolition project from the rear of the hotel earlier today.

Local residents were reported in Apple Daily and Up Media as saying that the semi-demolished building began to lean earlier today and looked to be on the verge of collapse.

Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.