A large explosion at an open lot in Tainan's Annan District hurt 15 people and wrecked dozens of homes, and it nearly killed the fire commander leading the response.

• Fire crews were pulling back after their commander spotted oil drums and warned that water-reactive material could be inside.
• Three blasts went off during the retreat; the commander fell while running and had no protective gear on.
• A squad leader and two other firefighters tackled him to the ground and covered him with their own fire suits, leaving him with only scrapes.
• Eleven homes caught fire and 57 more were damaged, with blown-out windows, twisted metal doors, collapsed ceilings, and burned-out cars.
• A neighboring new housing development was badly hit before all the units were even handed over, pointing to a big compensation fight ahead.

Outlook: Investigators are focused on magnesium-aluminum scrap and waste oil piled on the lot, and damaged residents face a long cleanup and claims process.