An explosion at a missile base belonging to Taiwan’s state-run defense research institute has injured four people, local media outlets including the Central News Agency report.
The National Research Institute of Heavy Industry and Science, a state-run defense research institute, said an explosion occurred at the Zhufeng Missile Base in Pingtung County at around 10 a.m. local time today, sending four workers at the site to the hospital with burns.
“A large-scale combustion accident of unknown origin occurred during the incineration of leftover gunpowder residue,” an institute official explained.
Two of the injured are in critical condition with 90% and 50% body burns respectively.
Upon receiving reports of the incident, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen instructed officials to “do their best to treat the injured, quickly determine the cause of the accident, and put in place safety measures.”
“Located in a mountainous area, Zhufeng is a secret base that has conducted missile training missions on several occasions,” Taiwan’s Trilateral Newspaper reported, adding that “in July last year, an explosion during a gunpowder burning operation caused a plume of black smoke to rise, 카지노사이트넷 drawing protests from nearby residents.”