At least four people have reportedly died after a gas explosion tore through a busy shopping mall in Taiwan.
On Thursday, Feb. 13 at around 11:33 a.m. local time, an explosion occurred on the 12th floor of a Taichung City department store, per a translated Facebook post shared by Taiwan’s National Fire Agency.
The post stated that the “government immediately set up an explosion disaster response.”
Per the Associated Press, the blast happened at the food court on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi store. The news agency added that four people had been killed, and a further 26 had been injured, citing the Taichung Fire Bureau.
The National Fire Agency confirmed on Facebook that those injured had been taken to local hospitals for treatment, adding that over 130 firefighters and more than 50 vehicles had been dispatched to the scene.
Taiwanese politician Lai Ching-te said on Facebook that the Ministry of Health and Welfare was “actively coordinating medical resources to provide the best medical assistance to the injured, and hope that the injured will recover soon,” per a translated post.
According to the Tapei Times, the cause of the explosion is still under investigation, citing the Taichung Fire Bureau.
Construction work was reportedly taking place on the building’s 12th floor, and the blast is thought to have caused damage from the ninth floor upwards, per Sky News, citing the fire department.
Among the victims who died were two people visiting from Macao, the tourism office confirmed to the AP. Reuters added that five of the injured were also tourists from Macao.
Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen wrote on Facebook in a translated post, “We’re doing all we can to rescue the disaster. Please give the rescuers better space to rescue.”
“We have activated traffic control on the surrounding roads. All vehicles should avoid passing through the area to facilitate the smooth rescue operation,” she added.
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The Mayor told reporters at the scene that she felt the shock of the explosion at her office nearby, AP reported. She confirmed an investigation was underway and that authorities would be checking for other sources of danger, the news agency added.
The Fire Bureau of Taichung City Government, Taiwan’s National Fire Agency and Macao’s Tourism Office didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
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