A fire broke out late at night at CPC Corporation's Dalin refinery in Kaohsiung's Siaogang District, sending up thick smoke and triggering an air pollution alert — bad news for nearby residents, though no injuries were reported.

• A heavy fuel oil pump at the No. 11 distillation plant leaked and caught fire, sending thick smoke into the air, and the city government promptly issued an air pollution alert.
• The fire department deployed 20 vehicles and 44 personnel, along with drones and firefighting robots in support, and the blaze was extinguished within about an hour and a half.
• CPC issued a press release apologising and acknowledging that the incident had caused public alarm; the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
• The Kaohsiung City Government has ordered CPC to carry out a comprehensive inspection of ageing pumps and pipelines and to strengthen emergency response procedures at the plant.
• The Environmental Protection Bureau and the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Office will also enter the plant to investigate, with responsibility for the air pollution and workplace safety issues yet to be determined.

Outlook: The findings of the investigation and any subsequent fines will be the focus, and CPC may face stricter equipment safety audits in the near term.