Wugu Used Clothing Factory Fire: Firefighters Battle for 3.5 Hours to Control Blaze
A fire broke out at a used clothing factory in Wugu, New Taipei City, on the evening of the 12th. Due to a large amount of flammable materials inside, the fire spread rapidly, affecting adjacent buildings. It took firefighters 3.5 hours to control the blaze, which burned an area of about 2,000 ping. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 02:25
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 03:00 (35 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 13, 2026 at 10:24 (7h 24m after Collected)
Police and fire officials received a report at 8:14 PM on the 12th that a factory on Section 2 of Minyi Road in Wugu District was on fire. The scene was a 4-story corrugated iron structure housing a used clothing factory, which was already fully engulfed in flames when emergency services arrived. As the site consisted of connected buildings, two factories were initially caught in the fire.
Fire officials stated that a large quantity of recycled clothing stored inside fueled the rapid spread of the fire, with the initially estimated burned area being around 1,500 square meters. The initial dispatch was 11 vehicles and 35 personnel, but as the fire continued to spread, this was later increased to 45 vehicles and 65 personnel, and the burned area grew to about 5,676 square meters.
New Taipei City Fire Department Chief Chen Chung-yueh stated that employees of the used clothing factory evacuated after noticing the fire and notifying emergency services, so no one was trapped on site. However, because of the large accumulation of flammable clothing, the fire continued to spread. The fire department continuously dispatched more units, with a total of 66 vehicles and 169 personnel sent to fight the fire as of the early morning of the 13th.
He mentioned that although there were fire hydrants at the scene, the water pressure was insufficient. Therefore, a total of 20 large water tankers were deployed for the rescue effort. With 6 water lines established for a full-scale suppression, the fire was finally brought under control at 11:44 PM on the 12th.
He stated that due to smoldering and high temperatures from the piled-up clothing, it was difficult for personnel to get close, and even the corrugated iron factory building had collapsed. Excavators will be brought in later to dig out and handle the remaining embers, and it is estimated that the complete extinguishment might take until dawn. The total burned area is about 2,000 ping. He also urged residents in Wugu District and neighboring areas to close their windows and wear masks when going outside. (Editor: He Hong-ru) 1150413
Fire officials stated that a large quantity of recycled clothing stored inside fueled the rapid spread of the fire, with the initially estimated burned area being around 1,500 square meters. The initial dispatch was 11 vehicles and 35 personnel, but as the fire continued to spread, this was later increased to 45 vehicles and 65 personnel, and the burned area grew to about 5,676 square meters.
New Taipei City Fire Department Chief Chen Chung-yueh stated that employees of the used clothing factory evacuated after noticing the fire and notifying emergency services, so no one was trapped on site. However, because of the large accumulation of flammable clothing, the fire continued to spread. The fire department continuously dispatched more units, with a total of 66 vehicles and 169 personnel sent to fight the fire as of the early morning of the 13th.
He mentioned that although there were fire hydrants at the scene, the water pressure was insufficient. Therefore, a total of 20 large water tankers were deployed for the rescue effort. With 6 water lines established for a full-scale suppression, the fire was finally brought under control at 11:44 PM on the 12th.
He stated that due to smoldering and high temperatures from the piled-up clothing, it was difficult for personnel to get close, and even the corrugated iron factory building had collapsed. Excavators will be brought in later to dig out and handle the remaining embers, and it is estimated that the complete extinguishment might take until dawn. The total burned area is about 2,000 ping. He also urged residents in Wugu District and neighboring areas to close their windows and wear masks when going outside. (Editor: He Hong-ru) 1150413