Gas pipeline explosion kills at least 15 in Taiwan.
An explosion caused by a gas leak left dead and injured in the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Thursday night, the 31st; at least 15 people died and 233 were injured, said Chen Chu, mayor of Kaohsiung; residents said the gas leak formed a large white fog, followed by the explosions; the exact cause of the leak is unclear, but the explosions destroyed a large part of the underground pipeline; the electricity was cut off by the explosions, making it difficult for firefighters to rescue people who may be under the rubble.
From Agencies - An explosion caused by a gas leak left dead and injured in the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Thursday night (31), local time. At least 15 people died and 233 were injured, said Chen Chu, mayor of Kaohsiung, according to the France Presse agency.
Residents told the Taiwanese news agency CNA that the gas leak began around 9 a.m. (local time), forming a large white fog, followed by explosions. One witness told CNA that he saw "fire gushing from the manholes and tearing off their covers." Images from local TV networks show a large "fireball" in the middle of the street, along with a large column of smoke. The exact cause of the leak is unclear, but the explosions destroyed a large part of the underground piping.
The explosion caused large fires and even overturned cars at the scene. The power was cut off by the explosions, hindering rescue efforts by firefighters to retrieve people who may be trapped under the rubble. The damage spread across several streets in the city of Kaohsiung, Xinhua reported.