A devastating fire at a five-story food-processing facility under construction in Taichung, Taiwan, claimed nine lives Thursday, with one victim dying after jumping from the third floor. The blaze engulfed the future PX Mart supermarket building, sending dark gray smoke and orange flames billowing from one end.
Taichung government officials reported the fire spread rapidly due to numerous foam panels present at the construction site. Firefighters conducted extensive searches into the evening, discovering additional victims while successfully rescuing nineteen people from the inferno.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.