New Taipei City

Express train hit by steel rail raises spectre of past disaster

taroko train at scene of accident
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A windscreen was damaged, but no injuries were reported, after a steel rail from a trackside construction project fell onto the tracks and hit a train in New Taipei City this morning, Tuesday, December 1. Taiwan Rail Administration (TRA) reported that the Taroko class express train was hit by a steel rail at 8:52 am between Dali and Fulong stations, causing the windscreen to be cracked. The steel rail fell from a slope stabilization project around 7-8 meters away from

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21-year-old woman dies after driver loses control of sports car

composite image of Audi R8 before and after crash
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

One person died, and one was slightly injured, after the driver of an Audi R8 “supercar” lost control of the vehicle in wet and rainy conditions in New Taipei City yesterday, November 27. The 28-year-old driver, named Huang, was taking a 21-year-old female friend, named Weng, to have dinner in Taipei City when he lost control of the 602 horsepower performance coupe, and crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of Kangning Street and Cuifeng Street in Xizhi District,

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Fight breaks out in Costco over Black Friday sale special

composite picture of fight in Costco
Society 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment

Two men have been charged with injury after a fight broke out in a Costco store in New Taipei City yesterday, [Black] Friday, November 26. According to reports, a fight broke out in the Costco store in Xinzhuang District shortly before closing time yesterday evening, after a man, named Lin, moved a queue barrier so he could cut a queue to grab a bottle of heavily discounted shampoo. A man in the queue, named Huang, berated his act, and an

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Gunman in suspected underworld hit flees to China

composite image of suspect and gun
Violent Crimes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A man suspected of carrying out an execution-style killing in New Taipei City yesterday displayed meticulous planning, and boarded a plane to China just hours after the shooting. Police have identified a 24-year-old man named Huang as the main suspect in the killing of 45-year-old Ho Ming-hsun, who was gunned down in the front yard of his family home in Hsintien District at 8:15 am yesterday morning. Huang has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for firearms offences, drugs, injury,

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3 dead, 2 injured in metro construction site accident

composite image showing aftermath of scaffolding collapse
Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Three workers died and two were injured after a scaffolding collapse on a metro construction site in Sanxia District, New Taipei City, today, November 20. According to reports, scaffolding collapsed at the construction site of the Sanying Line of the New Taipei Metro at the corner of Jiafu Road and Jiaxing Road at around 1:00 pm. Of five workers affected, four fell from a three-storey height, while one was caught in the scaffolding. Three of the workers lost vital signs

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Physically fit felon tests police stamina in foot chase through streets of New Taipei City

composite picture of suspect during police chase
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Police in New Taipei City went through an unscheduled test of physical fitness, Sunday, when a man wanted on drugs charges lead the officers on a half-hour chase, until he was cornered and arrested. Police officers were on a routine patrol in Banqiao District when they spotted a suspected wanted person at the intersection of Nanya West Road and Guanqian West Road. The man pretended to cooperate with an identity check, but suddenly fled as police were about to search

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Police shoot out suspect’s tires after chase through streets of New Taipei City

composite image of drugs and arrested suspect
Crime and Criminals 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Police in New Taipei City shot out the tires of a suspect’s vehicle after the man led them on a chase through the streets of Tucheng and Banqiao districts today, then attempted to ram the officers after being cornered in an alley. Police on a routine patrol in Tucheng District pulled over a driver who appeared to be “driving in a suspicious manner” on Jincheng Road at around 3:30 pm. However, as police approached the vehicle, the driver sped away.

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400 kg heroin haul the largest on-shore drug bust in Taiwan history

double lion brand heroin bricks
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments , ,

Police in New Taipei City arrested three men and confiscated 400 kilograms of high-purity heroin in what is believed to be the largest on-shore drug bust in Taiwan’s history, it was announced at a press briefing yesterday, November 4. The Criminal Investigation Corps of New Taipei City Police Department began an investigation into the large-scale drug trafficking operation after receiving intelligence in September that a warehouse on Dake 1st Road in Taishan District was being used by a drug smuggling

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Rare visitor: Seal appears at fishing port in northern Taiwan

seal at Bitou Fishing Port
Animals 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

In what may be a historical first, a juvenile seal was spotted at a fishing port in New Taipei City yesterday, but swam away this morning, October 25, after divers dispatched by the animal protection department attempted to catch the animal. Tourists visiting the Bitou Fishing Port in Ruifang District yesterday, Sunday, first spotted the seal swimming playfully in the harbor. At first it was speculated that the animal must be a Eurasian Otter, as seals have never been known

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2 adults, 4 children missing after flash flood in New Taipei City

Beishi River in flood
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Search and rescue operations are continuing Sunday morning after a group of adults and students attending a nature camp were swept away by a flash flood in Shuangxi District, New Taipei City, Saturday afternoon. New Taipei City Fire Department received reports that a group of students and teachers had been swept away by a sudden surge of water in a stream on the Hubao Pond Trail at 4:38 pm. A group of 31 people taking part in a nature camp

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