A fire and explosion at an illegal waste dump in a Tainan residential area hurt several people overnight and spread to nearby homes — bad news for residents and a sign of weak oversight of waste operators.

• Waste stacked on empty land in Tainan's Annan District caught fire and exploded early in the morning, spreading to houses nearby.
• Firefighters needed 53 trucks and 144 people, and it took more than four hours to put out.
• When inspectors went to the company's registered address in Kaohsiung, they found a hair salon — the lease had already expired.
• Thick smoke pushed ammonia levels high enough to sting eyes, nose, and throat, so officials told people downwind to stay inside and shut their windows.

Outlook: Tainan authorities plan to trace who dumped the waste and impose heavy fines under air pollution and waste disposal laws once the fire investigation is done.