Deadly gas explosion in Taiwan shopping mall kills 4, injures 30

China

Deadly gas explosion in Taiwan shopping mall kills 4, injures 30

2025-02-14 15:04 Last Updated At：18:27

An explosion at a department store in the city of Taichung in central Taiwan has killed four people and injured 30 as of 20:00 on Thursday.

It was previously reported that five people had died in the explosion. However, one critically injured survivor with cardiac arrest was resuscitated, leading to the revision of death toll to four.

All those injured in the blast have been hospitalized, and no additional victims remain trapped in the department store, according to local authorities.

Taichung's municipal news bureau said that the emergency has been brought under control following a day of search and rescue work. The department store has been ordered to close its business, and prosecutorial authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the blast.

The explosion occurred at about 11:00 in a food court on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store, causing significant damage to the building's interior and exterior.

Taichung's fire department dispatched 27 fire engines and 62 firefighters to carry out the rescue mission. The municipal government immediately implemented traffic restrictions, and later set up an emergency response center to coordinate relevant departments in handling the incident and its aftermath.

"I work nearby. I heard the explosion first, then the sound of multiple ambulances. Later, I saw more details online," said Mrs. Lin, a local resident.

Chavet, another resident, didn't hear the blast herself but was stunned to learn about it from others, saying it was hard to believe such an incident could happen in an upscale mall.

"I heard about it because I just live over here. It was very loud they said. I didn't hear. I was probably watching TV or something, so I didn't hear. But they said they could hear it and the building shook at my place. It's really sad. I've lived in Asia for seventeen years. I wouldn't think it here because it's a really upscale mall, really nice," she said.

Penalties will be handed to those found accountable for the explosion, and bereavement funds will be allocated accordingly, according to the municipal government.

Death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon rises to 634

The death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon has risen to 634, including 91 children and 47 women, while 1,586 people have been wounded, Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine said at a televised press briefing on Wednesday.

According to Nasreddine, the ongoing hostilities have also severely affected the health sector. He reported 22 attacks on medical facilities and services, including incidents targeting Red Cross ambulances.

The minister added that 15 health workers have been killed and 45 others wounded since the escalation began.

Meanwhile, the conflict has displaced 816,000 Lebanese, according to figures announced by Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed at the same press briefing.

Sayed said that 816,000 people have registered on the ministry's relief platform as displaced. Of them, about 126,000 people are currently sheltering in 589 designated centers across the country.

Sayed added that the government is working on the ground to guide displaced families to available centers and arrange transportation to ensure they reach safe locations.

At least 17 people were injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple areas in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon's Health Ministry reported Wednesday.

In retaliation, Hezbollah started the "Al-Asf Al-Ma'koul" operations, launching rockets intensively toward northern Israel, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

The group said it launched rocket salvos at multiple Israeli military sites, including the Northern Command headquarters at the Dado base, the Ein Zeitim base, and targets near Safed, Kiryat Shmona, Nahariyya, Haifa, and Lake Tiberias.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it began a "large-scale attack wave of strikes" on Beirut's southern suburb on Wednesday night in response to Hezbollah's rocket launches.

On March 2, Hezbollah announced the launch of rockets from Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire was declared on Nov 27, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army launched what it described as an "offensive military campaign" against Hezbollah, carrying out intense airstrikes on multiple Lebanese areas and border ground incursions.