A gas explosion occurred at a department store in the city of Taichung in central Taiwan at around 11 a.m. on Thursday (Feb. 13), leaving five dead and 13 injured. The dead include two Macao residents.
The accident occurred on the floor of a food court, which is under construction.
Comprehensive Taiwan media reports, the casualties in the family from Macao, three generations of seven people, they came to Taiwan during the visit, walking through the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi downstairs, tragically hit by a heavy object injuries. The grandparents died, and a two-year-old girl is in a coma and is being intubated.
According to the Taiwan media, a staff member working at the counter of the department store building where the incident took place (also known as a service assistant) said that she and her friends had originally planned to go to the 11th floor of the building where the incident took place to buy something to eat, but suddenly changed their minds and went to the 3rd floor to buy drinks, and thus escaped from the disaster.
Search and rescue operations are underway at the scene, with support from local fire authorities.
Further investigation into the cause is underway.
Related News:
Watch This | Explosion at Taichung's Shin Kong Mitsukoshi kills, injures many
44-year-old robbery suspect dies in custody at Yuen Long Police Station
Comment