Several gas leaks were reported in downtown Nantou City on the night of Aug. 17, alarming local residents and highlighting shortcomings in the local pipeline company’s efforts at responding, including difficulties quickly gaining control of the affected area. During a disaster response review meeting on Aug. 18, Nantou County Fire Department Director Lin Tsung-chi requested that the gas company review the situation and provide detailed response measures and blueprints for all pipelines within a week.
After a series of gas explosions in New Taipei City and Greater Kaohsiung, people are terror-stricken anytime they smell gas in the air. At around 9pm on Aug. 17, people reported smelling gas in the business area along Sanhe Third Rd where many food stalls are set up. After receiving calls, police and firefighters quickly arrived on the scene, blocked off streets and alerted local residents. It was a rare sight to see the typically bustling area of Sanhe Third Rd entirely deserted. Soon thereafter other areas around the city also reported gas leaks, with 14 reports in all received by the early morning hours on Aug. 18.
Local natural gas pipelines are under the jurisdiction of Shinlin Co, which was called in to inspect the reported leaks. Five leaks were found altogether, including areas along Sanhe Third Rd, Fusing Rd, Gongyuan St, Zucih Rd and Sinyi St. In other areas the wafting odor of gas was also detected. All natural gas in the area was immediately switched off and the crisis finally ended around 3am on Aug. 18. Local residents could not sleep well the entire night. Shinlin dispatched three teams to replace old pipes on the morning on Aug. 18.
Photo: Lai Hsiao-tung, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者賴筱桐
At the department’s natural gas pipeline disaster response meeting on Aug. 18, Sinlin Co’s Nantou Service Center director Lu Chih-sung said that since major domestic gas explosions have occurred, in order to increase the public’s vigilance, the odor of the gas was increased for several days in a row to help with pipeline safety inspections. On the night of Aug. 17, the relatively stronger odor caused people to notice the smell and make reports out of fear. All of the cases were only slight leaks, Lu says, adding that none posed a major threat. He also says that the company will still work to improve its pipeline inspections and replace old pipes.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
南投市區十七日深夜傳出多處瓦斯外洩,引起居民恐慌,也凸顯管線單位難以迅速掌握管制警戒區域等應變缺失,縣府消防局長林聰吉十八日在應變檢討會中,要求天然氣公司一週內檢討提出具體應變機制並提供管線圖資。
新北市、高雄縣市接連發生重大氣爆,民眾聞「氣」喪膽,十七日晚上九時許,南投市小吃攤與商家林立的三和三路有民眾聞到瓦斯味,警方、消防人員獲報迅速趕至並封路警戒,一向人聲鼎沸的三和三路罕見出現「淨空」景象,接著在市區其他地方也陸續傳出瓦斯外洩,直到十八日凌晨接獲十四起報案。
天然氣管線所屬的欣林公司到場檢測洩漏點,分別在三和三路、復興路、公園街、祖祠路、信義街等區域找到五處洩漏點,其餘地區則為瓦斯飄散氣味,緊急關閉天然氣開關後,十八日凌晨三時許才解除危機,卻已讓附近住家徹夜難眠,而欣林公司於八月十八日上午則派出三組人馬進行管線汰舊換新工作。
縣府消防局八月十八日召開天然瓦斯管線災害處置會議,欣林公司南投服務處處長呂志松說,因國內發生氣爆重大災害,為提高民眾警覺,連日來有加重臭氣氣味,以利管線安全檢測作業,當天因夜間瓦斯氣味較濃,引起民眾注意而緊張報案,但都屬於微漏情形,不至於引發重大危害,但仍會加強管線檢測與汰舊換新作業。
(自由時報記者陳信仁、謝介裕)
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