Fire at Chemical Fiber Facility Kills 2, Injures 19Fire at Chemical Fiber Facility Kills 2, Injures 19

A fire broke out at a chemical fiber factory in Hsinchu County, south of Taipei, Taiwan, early yesterday morning, leaving two people dead and 19 others injured, according to Far Eastern New Century Corp., which runs the plant.

Local news sources stated that the fire at the chemical fiber plant in Xinpu Township was reported at 2:53 a.m. The Hsinchu County Fire Bureau said a fleet of 29 vehicles carrying 60 firefighters was dispatched to the scene around 3 a.m., a few minutes after the fire was reported.

Although firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was extinguished at about 3:30 a.m., two lives were lost, the company said.

One factory worker was pronounced dead at the site from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Another employee, who also had an OHCA, was rushed to the hospital but pronounced dead, the Hsinchu County Fire Bureau said.

Five people were severely injured in the fire, while 14 others sustained minor injuries, Far Eastern said, adding that it would provide assistance to the families of the deceased and those who were injured.

According to the company, the fire was caused by a gas explosion that resulted from a leak in an insulation pipe.

The plant remains operational with production not significantly affected by the fire, the company added.

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