Taiwan Apartment Fire Kills 13, Injures 70

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 01, 2003

Taiwan Apartment Fire Kills 13, Injures 70

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Fire swept through an apartment block on the outskirts of Taipei early on Sunday killing 13 people and injuring 70, and investigators said they were checking a report it was caused by a woman who set herself on fire.

Desperate residents of the seven-story building jumped off balconies to escape the blaze, or climbed down ropes through thick black smoke as illegal building structures and narrow alleyways hampered fire trucks and rescue efforts.

Some fell several floors to the ground.

Residents of the building in Lu Chou in Taipei County said they heard two people quarreling just before shouts of "Fire! Help!" rang from the building in the early hours.

A spokeswoman for the Taipei County Government said a man told investigators his wife had set herself on fire and that had caused the blaze. Spokeswoman Hsieh Li-lan said the woman was in hospital and investigators were looking into the report.

Police said earlier the cause of the fire was not known but it had apparently started on the ground floor of the block, where motorcycles were parked.

The Taipei County government said 13 people were killed, including a three-year-old girl. Twenty-two were seriously injured, 48 had minor injuries and 112 were rescued.

The fire started just before 2 a.m. (1800 GMT) and police said it was brought under control after about 50 minutes. All residents were evacuated and the fire was extinguished shortly after 4 a.m. (2000 GMT).

Questions?Comments? Click here

Strong Quake Rattles Taiwan, No Reports of Damage

Police Capture Suspects Involved in Drowning of Women

Martin Luther King's Dream Hard to Be Fulfilled ( 23 Messages)

China's Economy Faces Stiff Challenges: Minister ( 3 Messages)

China's 150 million mu Forests Plagued by Exotic Pests ( 3 Messages)

Is a Good Husband Worth More Than a Good Job? ( 2 Messages)

Poll Shows More Americans Wouldn't Vote for Bush ( 15 Messages)