8 migrant workers injured in southern Taiwan gas explosion

南台灣瓦斯爆炸造成8名移工受傷

Gas cylinder explodes in kitchen leaving migrant workers with scalds and burns in Tainan City


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A gas explosion in a residential building in Tainan City resulted in eight migrant workers suffering burns or scald injuries on Sunday evening (Sept. 24).

Firefighters responded to an emergency call, and found evidence that a defective gas cylinder in the kitchen was responsible for the blast. Neighbors said the residence on Tainan City’s Beizhong Street was a place known to be frequented by migrant workers, per PTS.

The eight injured migrant workers were attending a party and were all conscious, suffering second and third-degree burns and scalds, when firefighters arrived. The gas explosion occurred in an otherwise quiet residential neighborhood with glass shattering and neighbors fleeing the explosion.

"I heard a bang, and then all the windows shook. And then I saw some people's faces were burned black, and several people were lying on the ground injured," said a neighbor.

Firefighters said there was no obvious fire or smoke but a strong smell of gas when they arrived at the scene. "We smelled a lot of gas, and according to a few Indonesian workers at the scene, a gas cylinder exploded while they were cooking, said Tainan City Fire Department Sixth Brigade Captain Chiu Yuan-ming (邱淵明).

"We are getting ready to go home. We smelled something and wondered if someone was still cooking. But no one was cooking, so we went over to the gas cylinder and closed it tightly. But actually, it was already closed tightly, so we didn’t think it could leak, and then there was an explosion," said an Indonesian migrant worker at the scene.

After the explosion, the situation was still volatile and dangerous leading firefighters to take precautions, said Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲). The connector on the gas cylinder broke, and there was no way to close it, so it let out naturally and water was sprayed to create mist and reduce the gas concentration.

The residence ceiling collapsed and the kitchen was charred by flames.