A massive fire kills 9 people at a building under construction in Taiwan

In this image taken from video, smoke rises from a food-processing building following a fire brokeout in Taichung, central Taiwan, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. Credit: AP
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Nine people died Thursday in a massive fire in central Taiwan at a huge food-processing building that was under construction, news reports said.
Video posted on social media showed a wall of dark gray smoke and orange flames billowing out of one end of the five-story building in the city of Taichung. The cause of the fire was undetermined but the Taichung government said it spread rapidly because of a large quantity of foam panels on site.
One person died after jumping from the third floor and the other victims were found by firefighters in a search that extended into the evening, Taiwanese media said. Nineteen people were rescued.
The building was being constructed for the PX Mart supermarket chain.

'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.

'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.



