Taipei, Taiwan, Oct. 14 (BNA) The death toll from a building fire in southern Taiwan last night has risen to 46, officials said Thursday, who said at least 41 other people were injured.
Kaohsiung city fire officials said the 13-storey building caught fire around 3 a.m. Thursday. A statement from the fire department said the fire was “extremely intense” and destroyed several floors.
Authorities say 32 bodies were sent directly to the morgue from the site of the fire. Of the 55 people who were hospitalized, they showed no signs of life. In Taiwan, official confirmation of death can only be done in a hospital, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Officials said a further inspection of the building was planned before sunset.
A video clip broadcast by Taiwanese television showed orange flames and smoke rising from the lower floors of the building as firefighters sprayed water from the street. A woman, who has not been identified, said her parents, aged 60 to 70, were inside.
After dawn, firefighters were seen spraying water on the middle floors of the still-burning building from raised platforms.
The fire department statement said the cause of the fire was not clear, but the firefighters noted that the fire was burning very badly as a lot of chaos had accumulated.
Eyewitnesses told Taiwan media that they heard an explosion around 3 am
The building is about 40 years old with shops on the lower floors and apartments above. basements wIt has been completely blackened.
RAE