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
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