An overnight fire and explosion at a waste dump in a Tainan residential area injured several people and spread to nearby homes, bad news for local residents and the firefighters hurt in the response.

• Rubbish piled on empty land in Annan District caught fire and exploded early in the morning, spreading to houses and vehicles.
• Several people were hurt and taken to hospital, including firefighters.
• Premier Cho Jung-tai has ordered every ministry to help Tainan with rescue work, housing for displaced residents, and medical care.
• President Lai Ching-te contacted Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che and asked officials to quickly determine the cause and who is responsible.
• The waste is suspected to have been dumped there by a company, putting the focus on illegal storage.

Outlook: Investigators will look for the cause of the blast and where blame lies, while displaced families get government help returning home.