Fire Hits 13-Story House In Southern Taiwan Leaves 9 People Dead, 44 Injured - Reports

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2021) Nine people died and 44 were injured on Thursday as a result of a deadly fire that hit a 13-story building in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung, media reported.

According to the Central news Agency (CNA), the building which is partially commercial and partially residential caught fire at about 2:54 a.m. (18:54 on Wednesday GMT).

The fire was extinguished by 7:17, with 159 firefighters having taken part in the operation.

The blaze erupted on the ground floor and soon engulfed the whole building. The city authorities said that more than 100 people lived in residential apartments and many of them were senior citizens who have difficulties with leaving the building.

The search and rescue operation is still underway.