2021 Kaohsiung building fire – Kebakaran Gedung Kaohsiung 2021

In the early morning hours of 14 October 2021, at 02:54 NST (UTC+8), a fire broke out in a 13 floor building on Fubei Road in the Yancheng District of Kaohsiung in southwestern Taiwan. At least 46 people were killed, and 41 others were injured. The fire was extinguished after about four and a half hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation, although piles of debris left around the building may have complicated rescue efforts and helped fuel the fire.

It is the deadliest fire in the city’s history, and the deadliest building fire in Taiwan since 1995, when a karaoke bar in Taichung in central Taiwan caught fire, killing 64 people and overall the third-deadliest fire in the history of Taiwan.

City firefighters at the building

Fire

The city’s fire department stated that the fire was first reported at 02:54 NST (UTC+8). It is believed by authorities that the fire first broke out, reportedly at 02:45, at a tea-shop on the ground floor of the building. A survivor said she opened her door and saw black smoke everywhere, and other residents stated they heard a loud bang concurrent with that of an explosion before the fire was discovered.

Some 159 firefighters responded to the fire with 75 fire vehicles. Chief Lee stated that because the lower floors had high ceilings and a front made of glass, the fire rose up rapidly, eventually reaching up to the 6th floor, and filling the floors above with smoke. By midday at least 62 people had been evacuated from the building, aged between 8 and 83 years-old. Lee reported that the fire had been extinguished by 07:17 NST. More than 377 rescue workers were deployed to the scene and the rescue is ongoing.

While the cause of the fire was not reported immediately, the large amount of debris and clutter in the building reportedly helped spread the fire and added to its intensity. The debris and clutter also impeded the search and rescue and evacuation efforts as many points of access were blocked. Hours after the fire, smoke could still be seen, and the sound of glass breaking was heard around the building.

Terjemahan Bebas:

Pada dini hari tanggal 14 Oktober 2021, pukul 02:54 NST (UTC+8), kebakaran terjadi di gedung 13 lantai di Jalan Fubei di Distrik Yancheng, Kaohsiung di Taiwan barat daya. Sedikitnya 46 orang tewas, dan 41 lainnya luka-luka. Api dapat dipadamkan setelah sekitar empat setengah jam. Penyebab kebakaran sedang diselidiki, meskipun tumpukan puing yang tertinggal di sekitar gedung mungkin menyulitkan upaya penyelamatan dan membantu menyulut api.

Ini adalah kebakaran paling mematikan dalam sejarah kota, dan kebakaran gedung paling mematikan di Taiwan sejak 1995, ketika sebuah bar karaoke di Taichung di Taiwan tengah terbakar, menewaskan 64 orang dan secara keseluruhan kebakaran paling mematikan ketiga dalam sejarah Taiwan.

Kebakaran

Pemadam kebakaran kota menyatakan bahwa api pertama kali dilaporkan pada 02:54 NST (UTC+8). Diyakini oleh pihak berwenang bahwa kebakaran pertama kali terjadi, dilaporkan pada 02:45, di sebuah kedai teh di lantai dasar gedung. Seorang yang selamat mengatakan dia membuka pintunya dan melihat asap hitam di mana-mana, dan penduduk lain menyatakan bahwa mereka mendengar ledakan keras bersamaan dengan ledakan sebelum api ditemukan.

Sekitar 159 petugas pemadam kebakaran menanggapi api dengan 75 kendaraan pemadam kebakaran. Chief Lee menyatakan bahwa karena lantai bawah memiliki langit-langit tinggi dan bagian depan terbuat dari kaca, api naik dengan cepat, akhirnya mencapai lantai 6, dan memenuhi lantai atas dengan asap. Pada tengah hari setidaknya 62 orang telah dievakuasi dari gedung, berusia antara 8 dan 83 tahun. Lee melaporkan bahwa api telah padam pada 07:17 NST. Lebih dari 377 pekerja penyelamat dikerahkan ke tempat kejadian dan penyelamatan sedang berlangsung.

Sementara penyebab kebakaran tidak segera dilaporkan, sejumlah besar puing-puing dan kekacauan di gedung dilaporkan membantu menyebarkan api dan menambah intensitasnya. Puing-puing dan kekacauan juga menghambat upaya pencarian dan penyelamatan dan evakuasi karena banyak titik akses diblokir. Beberapa jam setelah kebakaran, asap masih terlihat, dan suara kaca pecah terdengar di sekitar gedung.

Firefighters battle the fire early on Thursday. A total of 139 fire trucks and ambulances were deployed to the scene.

Firefighters search for people after the fire had been extinguished.

Firefighters take a break during their busy day.

The building’s exterior walls are charred in the wake of the fire. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai said the building’s first six floors were built for commercial use. Floors seven and above were for housing.

Firefighters work at the scene on Thursday.

Kaohsiung’s mayor told the CNA that the number of casualties was high due to a combination of factors: The fire happened overnight; the majority of residents were elderly; the stairwells were full of debris; and the building materials did not meet fire safety standards.

Paramedics transport a dead body from the building on Thursday.