At least 9 dead after hospital fire in typhoon-ravaged south Taiwan

Nine people are confirmed dead, and one remains missing, after a fire sent smoke billowing through a hospital in Pingtung County, Taiwan, this morning, Thursday, October 3. Pingtung County Fire Department received reports of a fire at the Antai Tian-Sheng Memorial Hospital in Donggang Township at 7:40 am. The fire department dispatched 46 vehicles and 116 personnel to the scene of the fire. Firefighters discovered the source of the fire in a power distribution room on the second floor. Thick

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Indian-American student drowns while swimming at beach in southern Taiwan

An Indian-American man studying at Taiwan’s Tsinghua University was declared dead at the hospital after a drowning incident at a popular tourist beach in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County, yesterday, June 24. Pingtung County Fire Department said they received a report that two people had been swept away by a rip current near Sail Rock in Kenting National Park in Hengchun Township at around 1:10 pm. When firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene, two people had already been plucked out

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Search for French couple lost in Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range enters 3rd day

Update: Couple found during air search. Airlifted to hospital for a medical check-up. Pingtung County, Taiwan – A search and rescue operation is underway in a remote mountain district of Pingtung County, after a French couple hiking in the area reported that they were lost two days ago. The Pingtung County Fire Department received a distress call from a 38-year old man, and a 30-year-old woman at 9:30 am, November 26. The couple reported that they had entered the Wutai

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Four firefighters dead, more than 100 people injured after explosions and fire in southern Taiwan industrial park

More than 100 people have been reported injured, and four firefighters are confirmed to have died, after a fire and multiple explosions at a factory in southern Taiwan, Friday, September 22. At around 5:30 pm, residents up to 10 kilometers away from the Pingtung Technology Industrial Park reported hearing a large explosion. Residents close to the site of the explosion felt the earth shake, and said that a strong chemical stench immediately followed the blast. Pingtung County Fire Department received

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Leatherback sea turtle dies after ingesting fishing line

Hengchun, Taiwan – A leatherback turtle found stranded on the coast of Pingtung County in southern Taiwan in July died of starvation due to fishing line stuck in its digestive tract, an autopsy revealed. Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council released autopsy results indicating that the cause of death was necrotizing enteritis, as the turtle’s stomach was empty, and its intestinal tract contained a total of 425 centimeters of fishing line. This obstruction led to folding and twisting in the lower digestive

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Shots fired at police in tense standoff: arsenal of firearms confiscated

A man suspected of drug trafficking and gun manufacturing was arrested after a tense two-hour standoff during which three shots were fired in the direction of police officers in Pingtung County today, June 19. Criminal investigation officers went to a house in Wandan Township at around 7:00 am preparing to search for drugs and firearms, but the suspect, named Wu, refused to open the door, and a standoff ensued. The police officers were attempting to break into the house with

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Organizers of illegal scooter race charged after crash leaves 2 dead, 3 injured

Two men have been charged, and another 16 are being interrogated, after a police investigation into a scooter crash that left two people dead and three injured in Pingtung County, Sunday. Police in Ligang Township received reports of a traffic accident on a rural road in Gaoshu Township at around 4:00 pm, June 4. Four scooters were involved in the accident. A 43-year-old man, named Dong, and a 19-year-old man, named Liao, died as a result of injuries sustained in

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Coast Guard intercepts people smugglers in southern Taiwan waters

Twelve Vietnamese nationals and two Taiwanese boat crew have been detained after coast guard officers intercepted a fishing vessel off the coast of Pingtung County three days ago. According to United Daily News, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration detected a suspicious fishing boat off the coast near Fangliao Fishing Port on the evening of April 3. Coast guard officers intercepted and boarded the vessel, and upon inspection found 12 Vietnamese nationals suspected to be attempting to enter the country illegally. According

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Air Force plane makes emergency belly landing in southern Taiwan

All crew members are safe after an emergency belly-landing of E-2K early warning aircraft in Pingtung County this morning, November 25, Taiwan’s Air Force Command said in a press release. According to reports, the E-2K belonging to the Early Warning Aircraft 2nd Squadron of the Electronic Warfare Brigade departed at 9:50 am on a routine training mission. When preparing to land shortly after 11:00 am, an abnormality in the landing gear was reported. Flight officer, Major Chang Wei-ye, landed the

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Woman survives falling 70 meters after motorcycle accident on mountain road

A motorcyclist was rescued after crashing her motorcycle, flying over a guardrail, and falling 70 meters down a steep, rocky slope in Pingtung County, Wednesday, April 27. The 19-year-old woman, named Zeng, was riding a motorcycle on Provincial Highway 24 in Wutai Township when she hit a fallen rock and crashed shortly after noon, according to reports. A friend riding on another motorcycle immediately called emergency services. Firefighters used ropes to abseil down the cliff to reach Zeng, and found

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Pit bull almost sentenced to death after killing child now a pampered pooch

An American pit bull terrier that mauled a 3-year-old boy to death in rural Pingtung County in December is now living the life of a pampered pooch in Taipei City after being adopted by a couple last month. Animal lovers flooded Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Men-an’s (潘孟安) Facebook page pleading to save the life of the dog after it was handed over to the Pingtung County Agriculture Department following the fatal mauling on December 2, 2021. Agriculture department personnel placed

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