TAIPEI (dpa): At least five people, including firefighters and workers, were killed and more than 100 people were injured in an explosion at a factory in southern Taiwan, authorities said on Saturday.
The accident occurred late on Friday at a plant of golf ball manufacturer Launch Technologies Co, located in Pingtung County.
Search and rescue operations continued throughout the night and into the early hours of Saturday, state-run Central News Agency (CNA) reported. Firefighters were still at work on Saturday morning.
The five victims include three firefighters, a male worker and a female worker, CNA cited authorities as saying. Additionally, at least five people including a firefighter remained trapped at the scene.
The blast caused a section of the factory building to collapse, trapping several individuals beneath the rubble, CNA reported.
On Saturday, dozens of injured people were receiving treatment in hospital. Local media reported that the death toll might increase.
The cause of the fire and subsequent explosion remained under investigation, authorities said.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Chen Chien-jen on Saturday expressed their condolences to families of the deceased. - dpa
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