Asia

Asia

Fire, explosion in Taiwan injure 15, damage 68 homes

23 August 2026 07:24 (UTC +04:00)

A fire followed by an explosion in Taiwan's Tainan city has injured 15 people and damaged 68 homes, according to the Taipei Times.

The incident occurred early on August 22 after a pile of waste in a vacant lot in Tainan's Annan District caught fire and subsequently exploded.

The Tainan City Fire Bureau dispatched 144 firefighters and 53 fire vehicles to the scene to extinguish the blaze and evacuate nearby residents. It took more than four hours to bring the fire under control.

The injured included 12 local residents and three firefighters. Officials said none of the injuries were serious.

The explosion also damaged 68 homes, with the three houses closest to the blast site sustaining the most severe damage. Several privately owned vehicles and emergency vehicles were also damaged.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The case has been referred to prosecutors amid an investigation into allegations that waste had been illegally dumped at the site.