Chemical Leak, Fire Occur at Far Eastern New Century Plant|新竹遠東化纖廠管線洩漏 臭味飄散數公里

A chemical gas leak caused a fire to break out at Far Eastern New Century's chemical fiber plant in Hsinchu. Firefighters were dispatched to put out the fire and environmental protection personnel were sent to take samples.


At 5 p.m. on Sept. 23, Hsinchu County's Fire Bureau received a call about a chemical gas leak at Far Eastern New Century's Hsinpu Chemical Fiber Plant that filled the air with a pungent odor. The odor spread throughout the county. At 9 p.m., a fire broke out and firefighters were sent to the scene to put out the fire.

The fire was probably caused by the leakage of hot kerosene. We continue to lower the temperature and monitor it to prevent it from reigniting.

We immediately stopped work when the leak occurred. However, it takes some time to discharge and that can't happen so quickly. At present, we have not yet been able to determine how the fire occurred, causing it to ignite.

The county's Environmental Protection Bureau sent personnel to take samples and inform the plant that its northern section had to shut down. The company will be fined NT$100,000 to NT$5 million for violating Article 32 of the Air Pollution Control Act.

There was a problem with the shaft seal of a pump inside the coal water boiler. It wasn't sealed, so the hot kerosene inside leaked out. We have ordered the northern section to stop work.

Two incidents affecting public safety occurred at the plant in just several hours' time. Whether the two incidents are related is under investigation. Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke inspected the plant and said the county government will ask the company to make improvements.



消防局先在傍晚5點左右接獲通報，遠東化纖在新竹縣新埔廠區，發生管線洩漏。現場飄出惡臭，臭味飄到整個新竹縣市都聞得到。沒想到晚間9點多更傳出火警，消防局緊急在現場進行噴水降溫動作。

新竹縣消防第三大隊長 沈宥霖表示：「整個引起火災原因，大概是因為熱煤油道生洩漏所引起的。為了防止復燃，所以持續做降溫動作，做溫度監控。」

遠東新世紀指揮官 王見偉表示：「外洩時，當下我們就開始做停車動作。但是它排放需要些時間，它沒辦法那麼快，在我們排行的過程中，目前我們還沒辦法確定，火警怎樣發生，造成它燃燒起來？」

環保局也派員到場進行採樣，並要求北廠區全線停工，將針對現場採樣，目前將朝向依空汙法第32條規定處10萬以上500萬元以下罰鍰，進行開罰。

新竹縣環保局空污科長 林行志表示：「水煤鍋爐，它的一個幫浦裡面的一個軸封有異常，沒法封閉，導致它裡面的熱煤油，有洩漏出來。北區的整個製程，進行相關的先停工 。」

一晚接連發生的兩起公安事件，是否有關連，還有待進一步調查。新竹縣長楊文科到場勘查後強調，這起公安事件，縣府一定會要求廠商徹底改善。