A volunteer firefighter died Saturday of injuries sustained in the chemical gas explosions in the southern city of Kaohsiung almost a month ago, bringing the number of fatalities in the incident to 31.
Tao Ting-chou was a volunteer firefighter for 16 years. He died in a hospital shortly after midnight. He was 46.
Tao suffered burns and severe head and back injuries and had been in a coma since the explosions that occurred late July 31.
The explosions were caused by an accumulation of inflammable chemical gas leaking from an underground pipeline. The blasts killed 30 others and injured more than 300. The explosions also ripped apart roads along several blocks of commercial and residential buildings in Cianjhen District. Repairs are expected to last until December.
The authorities are still investigating why a section of petrochemical pipeline crosses paths with the culvert and who should be held responsible.