TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Fire Bureau Director-General Sun Fu-yu (孫福佑) clarified on Thursday (Feb. 13) that contrary to online rumors, none of the victims of the Taichung department store gas explosion were ejected from the building.
The devastating incident at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (新光三越) department store on Thursday left four dead and 30 injured. The blast, which occurred during renovation work on the 11th and 12th floors, shocked the nation and caused significant structural damage, shattering glass panels and leaving the building's integrity compromised.
Authorities found two out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims on the 11th and 12th floors, while two individuals from Macau were discovered on the first-floor sidewalk. The Fire Bureau's initial investigation suggests that the explosion originated on the 12th floor due to renovation activities.
The Shin Chung Natural Gas Company (欣中天然瓦斯公司) stated that they had removed and sealed the gas meter on Monday (Feb. 10), confirming the pipeline's integrity with no signs of leakage or combustion. Workers reported a strong gas odor during construction, leading fire investigators to preliminarily identify the incident as a gas explosion accident.
