A gas explosion at a shopping mall in Taichung, Taiwan, on Thursday morning killed at least four people and injured 30 others. The blast occurred on the 12th floor of the mall, about 100 miles southwest of Taipei.
Emergency responders received the report around 11:33 a.m. and dispatched 136 personnel to the scene. Search and rescue teams stayed for several hours until about 5 p.m.
The victims included two tourists from Macau, while five others were also tourists. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, according to the fire department.
President Lai Ching-te has called for a prompt investigation into the accident. The health ministry is coordinating medical resources for the injured.
This incident comes just two months after a large fire at a food-processing plant in Taichung killed nine people. An initial investigation found that welding sparks ignited paint and spread rapidly through insulation materials.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/world/asia/taiwan-gas-explosion-mall.html