At Least Nine People Dead in Taichung PX Mart Construction Site Fire

TaiwanPlus News

A fire that broke out at an under-construction processing center for the grocery chain PX Mart in the city of Taichung has left at least nine people dead and eight injured. It's the latest in a recent series of deadly blazes in Taiwan.

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00:00Smoke envelops the skies of central Taiwan.

00:05The source?

00:06A fire in the city of Taichung at an under-construction processing center for a major grocery chain.

00:12The fire left at least nine people dead and eight more injured.

00:17The first known death came when a construction worker jumped from the third floor to escape

00:22the fire.

00:23The first cause of death was a bruise all over his body and a fractured ankle.

00:29He has been declared dead after the emergency treatment.

00:35While only a few were initially declared dead, rescue operations carried out into the night

00:39found more bodies of people trapped inside.

00:42Investigators say the exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but initial findings

00:48point to sparks from welders falling down an open stairwell and igniting foam panels

00:53in the building's basement.

01:04The owner of the construction company working on the building took full responsibility.

01:08The blaze adds to the list of major building fires in recent years, many in factories or

01:32warehouses, some resulting in dozens being killed.

01:37Many safety authorities say the construction company in this case could be fined up to

01:419,000 U.S. dollars for each violation of its safety codes.

01:45But with so many building fires breaking out in the country, such fines may do little to

01:50bring comfort to victims' families or assuage fears of another disaster.

01:55John Su and Chris Gorin for Taiwan Plus.

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