YILAN (TVBS News) — A guided-missile destroyer in Taiwan's naval fleet caught fire while docked for maintenance on Wednesday (April 23), prompting an immediate emergency response but causing no injuries, naval officials confirmed. The blaze aboard the ROCS Ma Kong (馬公軍艦) at Suao Military Port (蘇澳軍港), a key naval facility on Taiwan's northeastern coast, was quickly extinguished as investigators prepare to determine its cause.
The incident began at approximately 2:10 p.m. when smoke began billowing from the starboard side of the vessel, drawing attention from nearby witnesses who captured dramatic footage of the scene. Navy officials quickly descended on the port in Yilan County, approximately 70 kilometers east of Taipei, and confirmed the ROCS Ma Kong was undergoing comprehensive factory-level maintenance when the fire erupted. Emergency crews managed to extinguish the flames, leaving only residual smoke.
Naval authorities announced that a formal investigation into the fire's origin cannot commence until all smoke dissipates completely from the vessel. The Yilan County Fire Bureau (宜蘭縣消防局), which dispatched emergency vehicles to the naval facility, reported finding only lingering smoke upon arrival, suggesting the navy's onboard firefighting systems had effectively contained the situation. Officials emphasized that determining the precise cause remains a priority once the ship becomes fully accessible.
Social media amplified awareness of the incident after the military enthusiast page "Taiwan ADIZ" circulated video footage showing the warship emitting smoke. The vessel has significant historical importance in Taiwan's naval defense strategy. Originally commissioned as the USS Chandler (DDG-996) by the U.S. Navy in 1982, the Kidd-class destroyer was decommissioned in 1999 before being transferred to Taiwan in 2004. Now designated as a Kee Lung-class destroyer, it operates as part of Taiwan's 168th Fleet, a key component of the island's naval defense forces.
The Ma Kong gained strategic prominence during heightened cross-strait tensions in 2022, when China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted extensive military exercises encircling Taiwan. During this period, the destroyer actively monitored the PLA Navy's Ma'anshan (馬鞍山) frigate operating in waters east of Taiwan. Naval records indicate the Ma Kong also successfully intercepted and repelled the PLA's Xiamen (廈門) destroyer during the same year, underscoring its operational significance in Taiwan's maritime defense capabilities. ★
