The gas explosion at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taichung City yesterday (Feb. 13) has claimed four lives and left 37 injured. Among the deceased are two Macao residents, while five other Macao citizens sustained injuries.
The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government announced that its tourism crisis support group, accompanied by the Macau Red Cross, traveled to Taichung last night. Upon arrival, the delegation visited local hospitals to meet with the families of the deceased Macao citizens and the injured, relaying condolences from Macao's Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai and discussing tailored support measures.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:00 a.m. outside the department store, where debris struck a family of seven tourists from Macao. A 58-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman were killed, while five others, including a critically injured two-year-old girl requiring intubation, were hurt. Among the other two deceased, one is reported to be a 24-year-old female supervisor who was present at the construction site, where investigators believe the explosion originated.
The Taichung District Prosecutors Office stated that 16 individuals, including construction workers and department store staff, were questioned as witnesses last night and subsequently released. Authorities are reconstructing the scene and investigating the cause of the explosion to determine accountability.
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