Arson has not been ruled out in a fire that broke out yesterday in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District (永和), causing one death and injuring 24, the city’s fire department said.
Although firefighters quickly brought the fire under control, it affected about 10 buildings and engulfed more than 50 scooters and motorcycles.
At the scene, firefighters discovered that a 50-year-old man who was the owner of a paint store showed no signs of life. The man was declared dead after being rushed to hospital.
New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) said that the fire department should determine the cause of the fire and review how to prevent arson and improve safety in the city’s old apartment buildings.
New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said after visiting the injured in hospitals that many of the injured are students who were renting apartments.
Yonghe District Office would set up a service center to help accommodate those left homeless by the blaze, he added.
In addition, the city government would help affected households to recover in the aftermath, Hou said.
The fire broke out on a scooter in front of a paint shop in a four-story building and quickly spread to other scooters and motorcycles nearby, Yonghe Fire Department Director Huang Te-ching (黃德清) said.
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