Taiwan factory fire: Death toll rises to 9, no Vietnamese workers

The fire, which started on Friday evening and raged through the night, also injured more than 100 people, mostly workers at the factory in Pingtung County, Taiwan (China), according to local authorities.

Factory fire in Taiwan, number of casualties increased to 9, no Vietnamese workers, photo 1 — Fire scene. Photo: AFP

An official in Pingtung said one person was still listed as missing as further tests were needed to verify the identity of body parts found at the scene.

Regarding the fire and explosion at Minh Duong International Technology Joint Stock Company in Taiwan (China), the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) has just issued an official dispatch requesting relevant units to urgently deploy support measures for 16 workers injured in the fire and workers who have not been assigned jobs after the fire.

Local authorities have determined that about 16 Vietnamese workers were injured, with no fatalities. Most of the workers suffered minor and moderate injuries, and some workers have been discharged from the hospital. None of the Vietnamese workers are in danger of dying.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs also requested the Department of Overseas Labor Management to direct businesses sending workers to work at Minh Duong Company to send permanent representatives to the hospital to coordinate timely treatment and protect the health of workers.

As is known, a fire broke out at the factory, causing an explosion that caused part of the building to collapse at around 6:10 p.m. last Friday, trapping firefighters and workers under the rubble. A second explosion occurred 20 minutes later.

The cause of the fire remains unclear, but a fire department official told local media on Saturday that peroxide chemicals stored inside the plant may have been the cause of the subsequent explosions.

Hoang Anh (according to Chinhphu.vn, Taiwan News)

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