Refrigerant factory fire leaves 1 dead, 3 injured in Taiwan

A fire broke out at a refrigerant factory in Taoyuan’s Guishan District, in Taiwan on Tuesday, Taiwan News reported. 

Firefighters battled the blaze, which created plumes of black smoke that affected a nearby highway for nearly three hours, finally extinguishing it, Three people were injured, and one person died at the scene. 

The 61-year-old factory owner, a man surnamed Su , his 59-year-old wife, and his 33-year-old son all escaped the fire. His 36-year-old daughter was found dead by firefighters and was sent to the hospital. 

The fire caused refrigerants held in cylinders within the factory to explode.

A passing vehicle was also damaged, with all of the windows shattered during one explosion. "I was not injured, but the shockwave was huge because my car was completely smashed," said the driver.

One factory across the street also caught fire after one explosion, according to Guishan Dakeng Borough Chief You Hui-chung. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.