President Tsai Ing-wen has expressed her grief for the victims of a deadly fire in Kaohsiung City that claimed the lives of at least 46 people. The blaze began in the early hours of Thursday morning in a partially derelict building in Kaohsiung’s Yancheng district.
Speaking on Friday morning, Tsai said she feels the deepest sadness and regret at the injury and loss of life. Tsai says she has asked government officials to do all they can to meet the needs of victims and their families. The president also says she has asked the government to determine the cause of the disaster.
Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chi-mai visited the city crematorium to meet with victims’ families on Friday morning. He says city authorities are still identifying the deceased.
Chen says the local government is providing one-on-one support to people affected by the disaster, as well as rehousing the building’s residents.
Mayor Chen also says he has asked Deputy Mayor Charles Lin to set up an independent committee to investigate the causes of the disaster. That comes after it emerged that the city fire department had unsuccessfully attempted to carry out safety checks on the building four times before the fire. Each time, fire safety officials encountered barriers to entry and left behind an official inspection notice.
Chen also says city authorities will inspect all 34 buildings in Kaohsiung City that are at a similar risk of fire due to their age or lack of official oversight. Specifically, authorities are targeting mixed-use residential and commercial buildings that were built over 30 years ago and do not have a management committee.
The building at the centre of the fire was built in the 1980s, and fell into disrepair after a fire in 1999.