10 killed in Taiwan factory explosion

An explosion on Friday at a factory in a science and technology park in Taiwan has claimed 10 lives, including four firefighters, and left nearly 100 injured as of Sunday afternoon, according to media reports on the island.

A Chinese mainland spokesman on Saturday expressed condolences to the victims and bereaved families in Pingtung county, where the factory is located.

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said he was shocked to learn about the incident.

According to reports, the factory was a subcontractor for golf equipment manufacturing. Aerial footage showed that the factory's metal roof was blown apart, and a nearby fire truck was damaged.

The local government said that upon receiving the report of the fire on Friday, firefighters immediately rushed to the scene. Due to the presence of peroxides in the factory, water could not be used to put out the blaze. An explosion occurred right after firefighters entered the site, resulting in severe casualties.

About 100 people were hospitalized with injuries. An investigation into the cause of the blast is underway, according to the Pingtung fire department.