Man Dies After Car Crashes into Utility Pole in Hualien

Central News Agency (Hualien, 24th) A man surnamed Lai in Hualien County crashed his car into a utility pole while driving on Provincial Highway 9 at the 237.6 km mark in Guangfu Township last night. He was trapped inside the vehicle. Firefighters arrived at the scene and used rescue equipment to free him, performing CPR before rushing him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The exact cause of the accident is under investigation. The Hualien County Fire Bureau's Second Battalion stated that they received a report of a car accident in Guangfu Township after 8 p.m. last night. Upon arrival, firefighters found a male patient trapped in the car with no vital signs. They performed emergency rescue and transported him to the hospital. Police investigation revealed that the 41-year-old man was driving south on Highway 9 when he suddenly hit the pole. Passersby called 119. Police noted that there were no fixed surveillance cameras at the scene, and the car's dashcam was destroyed, making data recovery impossible. They are relying on witness testimony and forensic evidence collection to reconstruct the accident.