Taiwan hospital fire leaves 9 dead as typhoon batters island's south
TAIPEI, Taiwan: Even as a typhoon was battering southern Taiwan, a fire broke out in a hospital killing at least nine people this week.
The fire occurred in Pingtung County, already reeling from the impact of Typhoon Krathon, which made landfall in the afternoon. The typhoon’s torrential rains and fierce winds brought much of the island to a standstill.
The victims who died at the hospital had inhaled smoke from the fire, the cause of which remains under investigation.
Soldiers from a nearby base were called in to assist medical workers and firefighters in evacuating patients and extinguishing the flames. Reports indicated that 176 patients were rushed to the front entrance, then transferred to ambulances or sheltered under tarps to protect them from the heavy rain.
Krathon made landfall in the major port city of Kaohsiung, packing winds of 126 kph (78 mph) with higher gusts, according to Taiwan’s weather authorities.
Flooding and high winds have caused considerable damage to industries, from fishing to chemicals, while cutting off transportation routes and electrical networks.