Taiwan Gas Blasts Likely Caused By Faulty Pipe

The deadly explosions that rattled the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung earlier this week were likely triggered by a leaky underground gas pipe owned by local chemical producer LCY Chemical Corp., initial investigations by the city government showed Saturday.

Around midnight Thursday, a series of explosions shook Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second largest city by population and a major petrochemical hub. The blasts—which were followed by fires reaching as high as 10 stories according to some witnesses—destroyed homes, ripped off manhole covers and tore open several roads. Television footage showed cars and a firetruck collapsing into craters blown open by the explosions.

The latest tally shows the blasts killed at least 27 people, injured 286 and left two missing, making it Taiwan's deadliest gas leak explosion. Four firefighters were among those who died. Many streets were still littered with rubble on Saturday and thousands of homes remained without water and electricity.

While an investigation to pin down the source of the leak is still continuing, the Kaohsiung Environmental Protection Bureau said its records indicate that on the night of the explosions, a LCY pipe was the only one that was transmitting Propene in the area. Propene is a highly inflammable chemical used to make polyester and the only type of gas detected at the explosion sites.

"Our inspection indicates that LCY's pipeline showed irregularities around 8 p.m. (local time). The amount of flow in the pipe dropped from 22 tons per hour to 19 tons, and was even down to 1 ton at one point," said Chen Chin-te, the head of the Kaohsiung Environmental Protection Bureau. He said the sudden drop in the flow of gas meant that either the pipe was broken or that there was a leakage.

Mr. Chen said the company failed to notify the proper authority when it detected the irregularities.

Without commenting on the government's initial findings, LCY Chairman Lee Bowei said the authority should also look into other possible causes such as whether the disaster was caused by a leakage of other types of gas or whether the pipe had been damaged earlier by construction work nearby.

The chemical producer also in a terse statement said it would fully cooperate with the authorities and shoulder any responsibility if necessary.

This isn't the first time that the 49 year-old company has been named in a major environmental disaster. In 1986, LCY's plant in Hsinchu City in central Taiwan was forced to shut down after residents complained the factory was emitting hazardous chemicals into the local water supply.

At a news conference earlier Saturday, LCY spokeswoman Abby Pan confirmed that at 8:49 p.m. local time, the company detected irregularities, but an internal test at 9:40 p.m. showed the pressure level of the transmission pipe was within the normal range.

The company stopped short of commenting on its actions during the hour between the detection of the unusual reading and the pressure test. Ms. Pan also refused to disclose if the company had alerted authorities of the initial irregularities.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Kaohsiung city government and the central government agreed to conduct a comprehensive review of the underground petrochemical pipeline system in Kaohsiung from Monday, as questions are raised on the condition and the layout of the gas lines buried beneath the city.

The public reaction to the fatal explosions has been overwhelming. In less than a day, the combined donation from the Taiwan's business community and the public reached over 600 million New Taiwan dollars (US$20 million). Nearby hotels and restaurants are offering free accommodations and meals to the victims and the rescue workers. Flags throughout the island have been ordered to fly at half-mast for three days to honor the victims of the explosion, as well as the 48 lives lost in the TransAsia crash last week.

The city's underground gas supply has been also turned off since the blasts, affecting at least one major petrochemical maker.

China Petrochemical Development Corp. said it would reduce its capacity for one week, which is expected to reduce income by 36 million New Taiwan dollars ($1.2 million). It said it is now using trucks to transport the chemicals it needs. Other chemical makers, including USI Corp. and Asia Polymer Corp. said their supply from government-owned CPC Corp. remains normal and their operations haven't been impacted.