An overnight fire and explosion at a waste pile in Tainan's Annan District hurt 15 people and damaged nearly a dozen homes, a bad outcome for residents but one that could have been far worse.

• Waste dumped on empty land in a residential area caught fire and blew up early in the morning, spreading to 11 homes.
• The blast damaged 57 households and 22 vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances.
• Injuries to firefighters and residents were minor — scrapes and burns — and those hurt have been treated and released.
• The burning pile was mostly aluminium-magnesium alloy and waste oil, materials that react violently with fire and water.
• Mayor Huang Wei-che flew back from a travel fair in Singapore to visit the affected families and has opened a criminal investigation into who stacked the dangerous material there.

Outlook: The site stays sealed off under police guard until investigators finish, with cleanup and military help for residents starting next.