First update: Sept. 23, 4:30 p.m. At noon the body of a missing person believed to be that of a 48-year-old employee surnamed Lin (林) was found in the rubble of the factory, reported Liberty Times. This brings the death toll to six, including three firefighters and three factory employees.
Last update: Sept. 25, 9:31 a.m.
The body of the last missing person, a male employee surnamed Chen (陳), was found at 3:53 p.m. and retrieved at 4:06 p.m. on Sept. 24, reported Storm Media. This brings the death toll to 10, including four firefighters, five factory employees, and one person who is yet to be identified. The total number of injured has also risen to 109, including 10 firefighters, one volunteer firefighter, and 98 members of the public.
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A fire that was followed by explosions at a golf ball factory in Pingtung City has killed five people and injured over 100, with five still missing.
At around 5:30 p.m. on Friday evening (Sept. 22), a fire broke out at a golf ball factory operated by Launch Technologies Co. Ltd., in Pingtung Science Park. On Saturday morning (Sept. 23), Pingtung County Government confirmed three firefighters had been killed, two employees had died, five people were still missing (four workers and one firefighter), and 102 had been injured, 100 of whom had been hospitalized, reported Newtalk.
When the first batch of firefighters arrived at the scene and began spraying water on the blaze, there was an expolsion, killing three firefighers and injuring others. At least four firefighters and three employees became trapped after part of the factory collapsed due to the blast.
(Pingtung Fire Department photo)
Due to the flammable materials inside, the fire continued to spread. Pingtung Fire Department was cited by CNA as saying that alkane and natural gas were likely inside the plant.
The fire department believes the gas ignited when the firefighters began spraying water on the blaze. The resulting explosion caused the building to collapse from above, trapping firefighters and workers underneath.
Due to the presence of a large quantity of flammable materials such as plastic pellets and rubber inside the factory, the fire continued to spread. At around 5 a.m. on Saturday morning, there were still intermittent flames and thick smoke.
(CNA photo)
According to thermal imaging, the temperature inside the facility exceeded over 1,000 degrees Celsius. Firefightres had no choice but to continue spraying water to cool down the area before attempting to search for the remaining missing persons.
At 8 a.m. on Saturday, two workers, one male and one female were found dead inside the factory, bringing the death toll to five, reported UDN.
Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) went to hospitals to visit the injured early Saturday. In a Facebook post, he wrote that some of the victims were "very seriously injured, and one can imagine the immense destructive power of the disaster."
(CNA photo)
He said that some of the injured were migrant workers and personnel from broker agencies had arrived to provide assistance. He said several firefighters were being treated in the emergency room and he said he respected their bravery.
(CNA photo)
(CNA photo)
