This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/tawain-gas-explosions-15-dead-and-228-injured-9641370.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tawain explosions: 20 dead and at least 200 injured in huge gas blasts | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 20 people have been killed and 270 others injured following a series of gas explosions which shook the streets of a city in southern Taiwan. | |
| At least five explosions took place in the 2.8million-strong city of Kaohsiung early on Friday morning, Taiwan's Premier Jiang Yi-huah said. | |
| Five firefighters were killed in the blasts thought to have been caused by ruptured gas pipelines, the National Fire Agency said. | Five firefighters were killed in the blasts thought to have been caused by ruptured gas pipelines, the National Fire Agency said. |
| "The local fire department received calls of gas leaks late Thursday and then there was a series of blasts around midnight affecting an area of two to three sq km [one sq mile]," the fire agency added in a statement according to BBC News. | "The local fire department received calls of gas leaks late Thursday and then there was a series of blasts around midnight affecting an area of two to three sq km [one sq mile]," the fire agency added in a statement according to BBC News. |
| The source of the leak had not yet been located, but Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu said several petrochemical companies had pipelines built along the sewage system in Chian-Chen district, which has both factories and residential buildings. | |
| "Our priority is to save people now. We ask citizens living along the pipelines to evacuate," Mr Chen told TVBS television. | |
| Attempts by fire crews to find people buried in the rubble were hindered when electricity was cut off in the area. One rescue effort saw a team form a chain to pull the injured from a deep crater cut into the road. | Attempts by fire crews to find people buried in the rubble were hindered when electricity was cut off in the area. One rescue effort saw a team form a chain to pull the injured from a deep crater cut into the road. |
| Hundreds of soldiers, and firefighters from neighbouring Tainan City and Pingtung County, were sent to help at the scene, Mr Jiang added. | Hundreds of soldiers, and firefighters from neighbouring Tainan City and Pingtung County, were sent to help at the scene, Mr Jiang added. |
| Footage from the scene shot by the Taiwanese broadcaster ETTV shows plumes of smoke rising from a huge fire burning in the middle of a street, where a motorcycle and other debris have been flung across the middle. | Footage from the scene shot by the Taiwanese broadcaster ETTV shows plumes of smoke rising from a huge fire burning in the middle of a street, where a motorcycle and other debris have been flung across the middle. |
| Mobile phone video captured the sound of a secondary explosion as flames leapt at least 30 feet (9 meters) into the air. | Mobile phone video captured the sound of a secondary explosion as flames leapt at least 30 feet (9 meters) into the air. |
| The force of the initial blast also felled trees lining the street. Local TVBS showed cars flipped over and shattered windows. | The force of the initial blast also felled trees lining the street. Local TVBS showed cars flipped over and shattered windows. |
| Prior to the incident, smoke with a "gas-like smell" was seen rising from drains in the streets, Formosa TV and the China Times newspaper said. | Prior to the incident, smoke with a "gas-like smell" was seen rising from drains in the streets, Formosa TV and the China Times newspaper said. |
| Residents said it felt as if the city had been hit by a powerful earthquake, according to media reports. | Residents said it felt as if the city had been hit by a powerful earthquake, according to media reports. |
| Additional reporting by AP | Additional reporting by AP |