Taitung Sets Up Donation Account for Injured Passengers|普悠瑪重傷乘客復健費用 台東設捐款帳戶

17 of the 18 victims in the recent Puyuma train accident were from Taitung City, another 31 Taitung residents were injured and are still hospitalized. Some with heavy injuries may need to undergo long-term rehabilitation which are costly. The Taitung City government has hence set up an account to accept donations in order to assist them. The Taiwan Railways Administration has also held a meeting with the victims' families in order to listen to their input.


Professional baseball players have recorded a short video to cheer for Wang Yu-fei, a starting hitter of Peinan Junior High School's baseball team who suffered heavy injuries during the Puyuma train accident and is currently staying at the intensive care unit. The player hopes Wang can recover as soon as possible and to be moved to a regular ward. Officials at Peinan Junior High School said that Wang is in stable condition. However, he has suffered lacerations in his chest and abdomen, as well as a broken pelvis, and will have to undergo long-term rehabilitation in the future. Wang, along with four other injured students from the Peinan Junior High, come from poor families that are likely unable to afford their treatment. The Taitung City Government said that they have set up a donation account, and so far have received 11 small sums, which will be reserved to help provide treatments to the students.

If the donation was directed at Peinan Junior High School, that's what we'll reserve it for. If a given sum is set for a specific purpose, we'll follow that direction.

Those who are still hospitalized in Hualien, where the accident took place, are showing signs of recovery and will be transferred to hospitals in Taitung. The Taitung Mackay Memorial Hospital has made due preparations to admit these patients. The Taiwan Railway Administration also held a meeting with victims' families on the 25th, to get their input regarding funeral subsidies.

The compensation fee for each the family of each deceased victim is NT$ 2.5 million. There will be another NT$ 2.8 million compensation for traffic accidents.

The Taiwan Railway Administration said that their current priority is to help the victims' families make funeral arrangements, as well as hold discussions regarding financial compensation. On the other hand, psychological recovery is arguably more important for the injured passengers and for the victims' families. The Taitung City government has paired up one social worker per household in order to help them recover from their psychological pain.