Taiwan factory fire leaves at least 5 dead, more than 100 injured

BEIJING — A fire and next explosions at a golfing ball factory in southern Taiwan killed at least 5 folks and injured more than 100 others, and 5 individuals are nonetheless lacking.

The fire started on Friday evening at the factory in Pingtung county and raged in a single day. Three firefighters have been some of the lifeless, government mentioned.

Rescuers have been nonetheless on the lookout for 4 factory staff and one firefighter who remained unaccounted for, officers mentioned.

More than 100 folks have been taken to the health facility with accidents.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in a speech in Taipei on Saturday expressed her condolences to the households of the sufferers and mentioned she would commute to Pingtung to talk over with the ones suffering from the crisis, in step with Taiwanese news outlet Focus Taiwan.

Tsai mentioned the Pingtung county govt had arrange an emergency operation middle to supply help to these impacted by way of the fire.

Chou Chun-mi, Justice of the Peace of Pingtung county, mentioned in a Facebook post that the reason for the fire used to be nonetheless beneath investigation.

“Facing the grief of the family members, I could not say anything except to bow deeply, apologize, and express my deepest condolences,” she mentioned within the post, after visiting the funeral house and assembly with sufferers’ households.

Authorities mentioned that herbal gasoline can have contributed to the explosions, which happened as firefighters have been making an attempt to position out the fire.