A massive fire broke out in a 13-storey building in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung city on Thursday. Due to this, 46 people died and 79 people got burnt. The fire department said that the injured have been taken to the hospital, of which 14 are in critical condition.
According to the fire department, the fire was very severe and the floors of the building were gutted in the fire. Officials said the fire started around 3 am. The reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained. The people present at the spot said that they had heard the sound of an explosion at 3 am.
Officials had earlier warned that people could be trapped in the residential part of the building between the seventh and 11th floors. However, now the building has been completely evacuated. Many videos of this arson are being shared on social media. In the video, flames and smoke can be seen billowing out from the lower floors of the building. At the same time, firefighters are also seen sprinkling water on the building from the road.
According to the official statement, the building is about 40 years old. There was a bar, restaurant and cinema hall in the lower part of the building, but these were closed for the past several days. After this accident, the fire officials have appealed to the people not to allow garbage to accumulate in or near their homes. Along with this, the stairs of the house have also been asked to be kept clean.
Kaohsiung city is in the south of Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of 2,952 square kilometers. Kaohsiung has a population of around 2.77 million. It is the third most populous city in Taiwan. It is also the largest city in southern Taiwan.