The New Taipei City Government on Monday warned of poor air quality in areas near Shulin District (樹林) due to a fire at a factory earlier in the morning.
The fire at the factory on Guangxing Road was reported about 9am, the city’s Environmental Protection Department said.
By 9:38am, PM2.5 readings about 400m downwind of the blaze reached a peak of 97.4μg/m³, it said.
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department
Readings have since fallen below 30μg/m³, but the department at 10am still issued a notice on Facebook and to local leaders informing sensitive groups in Shulin, Tucheng (土城), Sansia (三峽), Banciao (板橋), Sindian (新店) and Sinjhuang (新莊) districts to close their windows and take precautions.
Last month, officials in Taipei and New Taipei City were heavily criticized for informing residents a day late about a fire at an electronics warehouse in New Taipei City’s Shenkeng District (深坑).
Meanwhile, the Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau on Monday also warned of poor air quality over the next three days.
Pollution would be carried in on a southward-moving cold air mass originating from central China from Monday afternoon until Wednesday, it said.
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