New Taipei City

Hornet attack on hiking group leaves 2 dead, 9 injured

line of ambulances waiting for sting victims
Animals Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Eleven people in a group of 20 hikers were stung by hornets in New Taipei City’s Ruifang District today, and four people were seriously injured. Two men lost vital signs and were declared dead after arrival at the hospital. The New Taipei City Fire Department received reports of the hornet attack at 11:38 am. Twenty ambulances and 51 personnel were dispatched to the trailhead. A command post was set up at the trailhead, and a rescue team was sent to

Read more

Electric buses to replace diesel burners on Tamsui – Banqiao bus route from tomorrow

Foxtron electric bus Model T
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Thirteen new electric buses will join New Taipei City’s public transportation fleet tomorrow, plying route 857 between Banqiao and Tamsui districts. Sanchung Bus Company said that 13 buses on the company’s cross-district trunk line will be replaced by Foxtron Model T electric buses. The Taiwan designed and manufactured buses were first launched in Kaohsiung City in March last year. The 857 route will be the first time the Model T is used in northern Taiwan. The Model T has a

Read more

South African national fined for riding YouBike on freeway

woman on YouBike on National Highway 1 in New Taipei City
Odd News 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A South African national was fined for riding a bicycle on National Highway 1 in New Taipei City last week, after she was allegedly guided onto the freeway by her smartphone. Police received reports of a woman seen riding a bicycle on the freeway headed northbound between Linkou and Wugu on Tuesday, June 27, at around 7:00 pm, A 24-year-old South African resident was stopped by police around 10 minutes later. The police officers took the errant cyclist back to

Read more

Gunman opens fire with submachine gun in broad daylight in New Taipei City: rival gang factions in dispute

gunman fires submachine gun in front of shocked onlookers
Crime and Criminals 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments , , , , ,

A dispute between two factions of the Bamboo Union saw 11 shots fired in anger in Banqiao District yesterday, and 42 shots blasted into a pawn shop door using a submachine gun in Tucheng District this morning, April 20. In the early hours of the morning Wednesday, April 20, a teenage suspect, named Wu, and a 24-year-old man, named Lin, met to negotiate with a 20-year-old man, named Hsu, and a 19-year-old, named Hsueh, in a parking lot in Zhongshan

Read more

Two Belgian tourists injured in cycling accident in north coast mountain district

Paramedics tend to injured cyclists who tumbled into streambed
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Two Belgian men were injured after crashing their bicycles on a downhill section of a mountain road in Wanli District, New Taipei City, yesterday, Sunday, April 16. According to Taiwanese media outlet SETN, the two men were part of a group of four cyclists riding on a downhill section of the Pingding Mountain Road when they crashed into a bridge pier. One of the men flew over the guardrail and fell into a streambed around 4 meters below the road.

Read more

Smartphone app helps save motorcyclist seriously injured in crash

composite image showing crashed scooter and crash detection app on smartphone
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

Paramedics rushed an unconscious man to hospital after his iPhone crash detection app called emergency services following a motorcycle accident in New Taipei City early yesterday morning, April 6. According to a United Daily News report, the 53-year-old bus driver, named Zheng, was riding a motor scooter to work when he crashed into a traffic island on Hecheng Road in Zhonghe District at around 5:10 am. Zheng was seriously injured and unconscious following the accident. Fortunately, his iPhone crash detection

Read more

Factory fire leads to school evacuation, classes suspended for one day

Plume of thick, black smoke from fire at tire recycling plant
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

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

Read more

5 suspects involved in viral road rage incident arrested

composite image of suspect wielding baseball bat and flanked by police after arrestect wielding basebal
Violent Crimes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Five men suspected to have smashed the windshield of a truck in a road rage incident in New Taipei City have been arrested after video footage of the incident went viral on social media. According to media reports, the five men were part of a group of more than 10 who were traveling from southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County in three cars when the incident occurred at the Sanxia Interchange on Friday, February 3, at around 3:00 pm. Dashcam footage from

Read more

Motorcycle rider killed after hitting taxi driving with lights off on expressway

composite image showing speeding motorcycle and crash
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments ,

A motorcycle rider died at the scene after slamming into the back of a taxi at high speed on Expressway 64 in New Taipei City last night, and the taxi driver, who was driving with headlights off, is being investigated on charges of negligent death. Police received a report of an accident at the 25.5 kilometer mark of Expressway 64 in Zhonghe District at 10:57 pm. Dashcam footage of the accident taken from a car that was traveling at 90

Read more