Gas supply firms must take responsibility and bear the costs of improved protection measures by installing safety shutoff valves and microcomputer gas meters for household users, the Consumers’ Foundation said on Thursday following a leak that caused blazes in Hsinchu County last month.
Officials said the June 24 incident was due to damage to a control valve at a supply terminal in Jhubei City (竹北), leading to excess flow of gas, as the normal gas pressure of 200mm of water gauge spiked to about 1,000mm of water gauge within a few minutes.
When household users turned on a gas stove or water heater, the excess pressure burst open the control valve and resulted in leaks that caused fires at several apartment buildings in Jhubei.
Photo courtesy of a reader
Seven people sustained injuries and a teenager is fighting for their life after suffering severe burns, officials said.
The foundation in a statement said that Hsinchu Gas Co, which is owned by the Hsinchu County Government, urgently needs to enhance safety measures for household users, with the priority to install safety shutoff valves that cut off the flow of gas when the pressure is too high.
The valves cost NT$350 to NT$400 each, the statement said.
“It is not too expensive and lasts for more than five years, protecting the lives and property of household users. It also benefits the gas company as it reduces leaks, helping the firm avoid the high costs of financial compensation for people hurt in gas explosions,” the foundation said.
The foundation urged the nation’s gas firms to foot the bill and install safety shutoff valves for all customers.
The foundation also urged the firms to install new microcomputer gas meters, which cost more than traditional gas meters, but are safer.
Currently customers must apply for a new meter and pay the installation and replacement fees themselves, so not every customer is willing to upgrade, it said.
“It is unreasonable for gas firms, who are making profits, to transfer the cost burden of installing new meters to its customers,” the foundation said.
The foundation said that gas explosions result in serious injuries and fatalities, as well as damage to public and private properties.
“Therefore gas firms should make more regular inspections to check all pipelines, control valves and switches. Also authorities should make regular safety inspections, and also unannounced inspections, at all gas depots,” it said.
The foundation said that people should ensure they are using gas devices which conform to safety standards, and install safety shutoff valves and a new microcomputer gas meter.
If there is a smell of gas in the household, the foundation urged people not to turn on any electrical appliances and immediately open windows and doors to provide ventilation, then turn off the gas and arrange a safety check.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS