The central government would assist local governments to enhance public safety, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday as he visited people in hospital who were injured in an explosion at a department store in Taichung on Thursday.
A suspected gas explosion occurred on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Zhonggang department store in Taichung at 11:33am on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 36.
Of the 40 casualties, 39 were hospitalized, Ministry of Health and Welfare data showed.
Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government
Three died after out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the data showed.
As of 6am yesterday, 25 of those injured had been discharged from hospital, leaving 11 hospitalized, with five in intensive care units and six in general wards, the data showed.
Lai visited Lin Shin Hospital and Taichung Veterans General Hospital yesterday morning.
Many people are very concerned and saddened about the incident at the department store, which caused many deaths and injuries, he said.
Lai said that Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) has instructed the National Fire Agency and the ministry to help the Taichung City Government enhance its fire control, disaster relief and medical treatment procedures.
“I hope Premier Cho will also instruct government agencies to assist local governments to ensure public safety, as they cause many casualties, great societal loss and great harm to families,” Lai said.
“We must enhance the prevention of occupational incidents, including paying attention to construction procedures, to prevent injuries to workers,” he added.
Lai wished the patients a speedy recovery and thanked Taichung City Government officials, especially the firefighters, rescue workers, healthcare practitioners and volunteers who helped at the scene and in hospital.
The Taichung Fire Bureau on Friday said that its initial findings on the cause of the department store blast was a possible gas leak, as interior renovations were being done on the 11th and 12th floors.
Separately, Changhua Christian Hospital yesterday awarded Gou Yun-hsuan (郭芸?) and Su Yi-fan (蘇奕帆) — nurses from its Emergency Department — a cash gift of NT$100,000 for voluntarily performing emergency treatment for people outside the department store immediately after the explosion.
The two nurses were shopping at the department store at the time and rushed to the first floor and helped perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an injured person, Changhua Christian Hospital said.
Hospital superintendent Chen Mu-kuan (陳穆寬) said it was rewarding Gou and Su for their bravery and selfless dedication to saving lives.
Through the cash gift, the hospital expresses its gratitude and hopes to convey its belief that the value of healthcare practitioners is not limited to hospital buildings, but that they can save lives at any place at any time, Chen said.
Meanwhile, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi pledged to give the families of the four people who died NT$11 million (US$335,673) each.
The compensation packages, comprising condolence money and insurance payments, are to “express its deepest sympathy and support for the victims’ families,” it said in a statement.
The families are being assisted in dealing with the aftermath, it said, adding that it is also providing all necessary support and assistance, including paid leave, to ensure the working rights of its staff are not affected.
Additional reporting by CNA
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS