Residents in 13 neighborhoods in Kaohsiung have been advised to stay indoors and close their windows, due to pollution following a fire yesterday morning at a lithium-ion battery cell factory in Siaogang District (小港), Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said.
Molie Quantum Energy Corp’s lithium-ion battery cell factory had a fire incident early yesterday morning, and air quality tests at about 10am showed trace amounts of hydrogen fluoride, an irritant that could affect the respiratory system, skin and eyes, he said.
The Kaohsiung Fire Bureau received an alert at 5:15am and dispatched firefighters to the scene by 5:20am, Chen said.
Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung Fire Bureau
Twelve of the company’s employees sustained abrasions and three firefighters had minor burns. All have been taken to hospitals for treatment.
The cause of the incident is yet to be investigated.
It was the finished product zone and the processing area that had caught on fire, Chen said.
Those living in nearby areas have been sent text alerts, and told to limit outdoor activities and wear a face mask if they go outside, he said.
The neighborhoods which are under advisory warnings are in Siaogang, Sanmin (三民), Lingya (苓雅) and Renwu (仁武) districts.
The Kaohsiung Environmental Protection Bureau said it detected high levels of fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) in the area this morning, but did not find any toxic gases or hazardous substances.
The wind is blowing in a southwesterly direction, with areas up to 6km downwind experiencing high PM2.5 concentrations, it said.
Although no toxic gases or hazardous chemicals were detected, the plant would be fined NT$100,000 to NT$5 million (US$3,413 and US$170,672) under the Air Pollution Control Act (空氣污染防制法) due to improper management, the bureau said.
TCC Group Holdings Co, the parent company of Molie Quantum Energy, said the fire originated from a warehouse storing semi-finished battery products.
The plant’s automatic sprinkler system was activated immediately to help contain the blaze, the TCC Group said in a statement.
The fire was quickly controlled, and all employees were evacuated, it said, adding that those who were injured have since been released from the hospital.
The group also apologized to nearby residents for the poor air quality, adding that it would fully comply with follow-up investigations and improve safety measures.
The company said it has a comprehensive insurance policy and is currently assessing the damage, adding that its human resources department has set up a task force to assess employees’ well being, implement health checks and offer follow-up support.
Additional reporting by Wang Jung-hsiang
See FIFTEEN on page 9
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS