Explosion at Taiwan chemical plant leaves 2 dead, 19 injured

A deadly explosion at a chemical fiber plant in Hsinchu County early this morning has resulted in two fatalities and 19 injuries. The blast, believed to have been triggered by a gas leak, occurred at the Far Eastern New Century Corp plant in Sinpu Township around 3 a.m

An explosion early this morning at the Far Eastern New Century Corp chemical fiber plant in Hsinchu County has tragically claimed the lives of two employees and left 19 others injured. The blast occurred around 3 a.m. at the Cotton 6 North Plant in Sinpu Township. Emergency services quickly responded, with 29 fire trucks and 60 firefighters dispatched to the scene.

Authorities believe the explosion was triggered by a gas leak from a hot oil pipeline, though an official investigation is underway to confirm the cause. Despite the blaze being under control, firefighting efforts are still ongoing.

One of the victims, 35-year-old duty manager Tsai Pai-wei, was killed at the scene while investigating an internal fire alarm triggered by the blaze. Tsai, who had recently been promoted to engineer, had worked for the company for almost nine years. A second employee, 43-year-old engineer Chang Chun-yu, sustained critical injuries at the scene and later died in the hospital.

Far Eastern Group, the company that owns the plant, has pledged compensation for the families of the deceased and dispatched personnel to assist the injured. The company stated that all of its factories are equipped with fire detectors and automatic alarm systems, and the guardroom immediately notified plant personnel once the fire was detected.

However, this is not the first fire at this facility. The Hsinchu County Fire Bureau reports that five fires have occurred at the plant since 2019, raising concerns among local residents. Some have called the plant a "ticking time bomb," citing frequent explosions and unpleasant odors that have contributed to air pollution in the surrounding areas.

Labor rights advocate and Hsinchu County Councilor Luo Mei-wen, a former employee at the plant, suggested that the tragedy may have been caused by longstanding issues, including labor cuts, overworked staff, outdated equipment, and insufficient employee training.

The Hsinchu County Environmental Protection Bureau has conducted air quality testing in the area and issued warnings for nearby boroughs, advising residents to close windows and wear masks if they need to go outside.

Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and the community in a public statement.

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