August 25, 2025 | Taichung, Taiwan
Two people were killed after a fire broke out in a rental apartment in Fengyuan District, Taichung, early Monday morning.
According to the Taichung City Fire Department, the blaze was reported at 3:12 a.m. on Yuanhuan East Road. Fire crews immediately dispatched seven units, including 16 fire trucks and 32 firefighters from the First Battalion and Fengyuan Detachment, led by Battalion Chief Wu Zhangming. Flames and thick smoke were already coming from the second floor of a four-story reinforced concrete building when responders arrived. The fire was contained and extinguished by 3:28 a.m.
Firefighters discovered the bodies of a man and a woman in a back room on the second floor. Authorities identified them as Li, 53, and Zhang, 58, who had been renting the apartment for about eight months. Their remains were not transported to a hospital.
Neighbors reported hearing a woman’s faint cries for help before the fire started and immediately contacted police and emergency responders. Witnesses said the pair had previously quarreled after drinking, though the circumstances leading to the incident remain unclear. Firefighters found numerous empty liquor bottles inside the unit.
The apartment has two rental rooms per floor, with the affected unit located on the second level. Investigators from the fire department and Fengyuan Police Station, along with forensic specialists, were at the scene this morning to gather evidence. Prosecutors are expected to conduct an examination later in the day.
The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine how the blaze started and whether foul play was involved.
