On the third day after the gas explosion at an aromatics production factory at Formosa Petrochemical's Mailiao No. 6 Naphtha Cracker Complex, black smoke continued covering nearby fish ponds. Reports about damage and losses were also continuous, including dead milkfish floating in ponds and dead clams as well. In response, the Mailiao Township Office has called on Formosa Petrochemical to provide full compensation.
Farmers remove dead clams from fish ponds as the smell of rot hangs in the air. Mr. Lin of Mailiao's Houan Village says the damage was caused by falling ash from the recent gas explosion at Formosa Petrochemical's No. 6 Naphtha Cracker Complex.
All this foam insulation floated over and we started seeing dead (clams) today.
They want photographic evidence. How are we supposed to provide this? It would take over a month to finish taking photos in the two villages. All the evidence would be gone by then.
The chief of Houan Village says the fish ponds are just one or two kilometers from the explosion site and foam and grease have rained down on clam farms in the last few days. The Mailiao Township Office has set up a team to take damage reports and is calling for total compensation from Formosa Petrochemical.
We've been discussing this with township officials and residents. We need total compensation. You can't compensate some areas and not others.
In principle, we still need evidence and our inspections are based on evidence. Compensation is only a possibility if it is proven that this was the cause.
In response, the complex's vice president of management, Chen Wen-yang, said total compensation would be very difficult and an inspection team has been sent to affected homes and farms to take water and fish samples. Chen says Formosa Petrochemical will not shirk its responsibility if tests confirm any damage was caused by the explosion.