Sinkhole in Taipei's Dunhua North Road Alley; Chiang Wan-an Hopes for Quick Road Restoration

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) A gas leak and road collapse occurred this morning at the urban renewal project site of the former Formosa Plastics headquarters in an alley off Dunhua North Road, Songshan District, Taipei. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an visited the scene and stated that after the gas pipeline is repaired, backfilling will commence immediately, with hopes of restoring traffic today.

In response, the Taipei Department of Urban Development issued a press release stating that regarding the public safety incident of gas pipeline damage and leakage caused by the road collapse, the Department of Urban Development immediately ordered the construction site to halt operations. Furthermore, in accordance with relevant regulations of the Building Act, the contractor and supervisor of the project will each be fined the maximum penalty of NT$90,000, and the contractor will be ordered to comprehensively implement corrective measures for deficiencies.

Taipei police and firefighters received a report at 10:42 AM about a road depression in front of a building at Alley 16, Lane 199, Dunhua North Road, Songshan District, forming a sinkhole approximately 4 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 1 meter deep. A strong smell of gas permeated the area, and personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene. At the time, the Taipei City Government was holding a disaster prevention meeting, and Vice Mayor Chang Wen-te proceeded to the Dunhua North Road site to understand the situation.

Chang Wen-te told reporters in a joint interview that the preliminary assessment is that fine sand flowed out during the excavation of the diaphragm wall at the adjacent construction site, which damaged the gas pipeline.

After concluding the disaster prevention meeting, Chiang Wan-an went to the Dunhua North Road site. He stated that according to the city government's understanding, the ground subsided due to soil loss during the construction of the diaphragm wall for the adjacent Formosa Plastics building, which is planned to have two 22-story buildings and five basement levels. The construction site was immediately ordered to backfill to stop the source of the problem.

Chiang Wan-an said that regarding the ground subsidence, structural and civil engineers have been invited to the scene to conduct tests and believe the cavity will not expand. Next, a comprehensive review will be conducted to ensure the safety of the surrounding area, including residents. The gas leak caused by the ground subsidence has been reported to the gas company for repair. Once repaired, backfilling will commence immediately, with hopes of restoring road access today.

Chiang Wan-an stated that the Public Works Department will subsequently request relevant units to conduct ground-penetrating radar scans of the surrounding geology to ensure the safety of a wider area. Additionally, the Department of Urban Development has ordered the construction site to halt operations. A comprehensive safety inspection must be conducted to ensure safety, and an improvement plan must be submitted and approved before work can resume.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department informed CNA reporters that the sinkhole is approximately 4 meters long and 2 meters wide, with a gas odor at the scene. The Public Works Department, the Fire Department, Taipei Gas, and the construction contractor for the adjacent project, China Engineering, were all present. After discussion, the construction contractor excavated to clarify the situation and discovered a ruptured gas pipe.

The Public Works Department stated that Taipei Gas is currently repairing the pipeline, which is expected to take about 4 hours. Backfilling with controlled low-strength material (CLSM) is scheduled for 6:00 PM, with partial traffic reopening. Full lane reopening will occur after subsequent maintenance is completed. (Editor: Hsiao Po-wen) 1150708

Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom

Download CNA's "First News" APP for real-time updates

The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.