A 40-year-old building in Kaohsiung's Yancheng District suddenly went up in flames at 3 a.m. on Oct. 14. Firefighters rescued around 55 of 120 residents and sent them to the hospital. Unfortunately, 46 have been pronounced dead while 41 were injured. Mayor Chen Chi-mai says he is not ruling out arson. Mayor Chen Chi-mai says he is not ruling out arson.
Area Resident："The upper floors! Hurry! Chengzhongcheng (Building)!"
This building in Kaohsiung's Yancheng went up in flames around 3 a.m. on the 14th. As there was a lot of rubbish being stored under the arcade, the fire quickly spread from the first floor. The fire department sent 159 firefighters and 79 fire trucks to the scene. It took until 8 a.m. to put the fire out.
Resident's Landlord："My call went through but no one answered. I have two tenants in this unit."
Resident's Family Member.. “My parents are still in there. (Your parents haven't come out yet?) No.”
Family members of residents kneel or sit on the ground awaiting news of their loved ones, while residents that managed to escape wait for news of their friends and neighbors. The upper floors of the 40-year-old multi-use building have 120 residents.
Hsieh Tsung-da, ER Chief, Yuan's General Hospital："Patients that had more severe symptoms, including confusion and high carbon monoxide levels, are being treated in the ICU."
Chen Chi-mai, Kaohsiung City Mayor："We can't rule out arson. However, many people including witnesses are saying the fire started on the first floor."
Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chi-mai says he can't rule out arson. Witnesses have reported a couple smoking outside the building and tossing away their cigarette butts shortly before the fire began. Investigators are questioning witnesses and police are reviewing CCTV footage.
附近鄰居：「樓上的，快一點喔！城中城的。」
鄰居緊張地在路邊大喊要住戶逃命，熊熊烈火從大樓竄出，一樓已經陷入一片火海。高雄鹽埕區的城中城大樓，14號凌晨近3點發生火警，其中一樓騎樓堆放雜物的地方火勢猛烈，消防局獲報後出動79車、159人前往搶救，火勢直到早上快8點才撲滅。
住戶房東表示：「手機有通沒有接啊！就這間房裡啊。2個房客。」
住戶家屬表示：「我爸、媽還在裡面，爸爸、媽媽(還沒出來嗎？) 還沒出來！」
接到消息趕來的家屬跪坐在地上，已經逃出的住戶也焦急在大樓對面等待，因為他們的親友還沒逃出來。城中城是約40年、老舊的住商混合大樓，7樓以上有120户住戶，消防還在持續救援住戶當中。
阮綜合醫院急診科主治醫師 謝宗達表示：「因為病患病情較嚴重，意識比較不清楚，一氧化碳的濃度較高，我們是收加護病房治療。」
高雄市長 陳其邁表示：「現在起火的原因，是不能排除人為的因素。但是也有多位民眾，包括目擊者，是指稱一樓是起火點。」
市長陳其邁趕赴現場勘查，表示不排除是人為縱火，也有消息傳出火災前有情侶在大樓爭執丟菸蒂。目前火調人員已經進到現場勘驗，並找到目擊者問話，警方也積極調閱附近監視器，希望盡快釐清火災真正原因。