A late-night fire and explosion tore through homes on Haidian Road in Tainan's Annan District, and city officials now say illegally dumped waste was behind it.

• The fire broke out around 1 a.m. and spread fast, damaging several nearby homes.
• A weather camera pointed at the sky happened to record the blast — a red flash that turned white seconds later.
• Neighbors described being jolted awake, with some hearing three loud bangs they first mistook for thunder.
• Tainan city officials have identified the landowner, the people who dumped the waste, and the middlemen involved.
• Residents are angry that a pile of dangerous waste was allowed to sit so close to houses.

Outlook: The city says it will pursue legal action over the illegal dumping of hazardous material, and pressure is likely to grow for tighter checks on waste sites near homes.