Ordinary wooden ladder saves 25 people, 2 cats from flood zone

Ordinary wooden ladder saves 25 people, 2 cats from flood zone

2025-10-06

Guangfu Township in Hualien County is still digging out from the disastrous flooding caused by the overflow of the Matai’an Creek barrier lake. A retiree from Taipei who moved to the area happened to leave his wooden ladders out after harvesting longan when the floods hit. It’s good he did, because one of those ladders ended up being the key to saving 25 people and two cats.

A loader is used to clear dried mud from the ground—one of many piles of earth left behind by flooding caused by the overflow of the Matai’an Creek barrier lake. Considering how much cleanup there is left to do, it’s clear the flooding was severe.

During the flood, this building near the intersection of Zhongzheng Road Section 1 and Linsen Road in Guangfu was nearly entirely submerged. This wooden ladder ended up being crucial to saving many lives: 25 adults, three children, and two cats.

Mr. Wang
Affected homeowner
I went on the roof to pick longan, and didn’t put the ladder away when I was done. Two people got swept by this tree and held onto it. Then the people already on the roof set up the ladder over there for them to grab onto.

When he got back home, Wang found his entire house was full of mud and everything inside was destroyed. The vehicles in front were in disarray, and there were many wooden ladders around. Just as he was wondering what happened, people came to thank him. He then remembered he forgot to put away his ladder after harvesting longan. Turns out that his forgetfulness saved lives.

Mr. Wang
Affected homeowner
I’ve planted two or three hundred plants. Some have been there for 20 or 30 years. They were all submerged. We came here to become farmers after retiring. Even if we wanted to save the plants, there was no way. The house isn’t even clear yet.

A retiree’s simple life as a farmer was ruined by the flood. Volunteers are still helping him clear out his orchard. He may have unintentionally saved many lives, but Wang stayed modest. He said if he never harvested longan, he wouldn’t have left the ladder, so maybe everyone should thank the longan tree instead.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#MataianCreek #flooding #Guangfu #naturaldisaster #farmer #lifesaver #longan #ladder #woodenladder

無心之舉意外救25人、2貓採龍眼木梯成"救命梯"

2025-10-06

馬太鞍溪堰塞湖溢流，重創花蓮光復鄉，有名從台北退休到花蓮過田園生活的男子，因為先前採收龍眼時，沒有把梯子收起來，無心之舉意外救了25個民眾以及2隻貓，原來當時洪水來襲，民眾受困趕緊爬上木梯，躲到平房屋頂，這才保住了性命。

小山貓一鏟一鏟，把地面上乾掉的泥濘鏟起，進行災後整理、重建工程，只見土堆還是相當多，可以想見當時馬太鞍溪堰塞湖溢流，光復鄉受創有多慘重。

事發時，光復鄉中正路一段及林森路交會口前，平房幾乎被淹沒，眼前的這個木梯，成了受災民眾的救命道具，25個大人、3個小孩、2隻貓，趕緊爬上梯子，站在屋頂上保命，這才沒有被泥水沖走。

[[受災屋主王先生]]
“我上去屋頂採龍眼啦，採完龍眼我沒有拿走，然後有兩個人沖到那個樹，抱著樹，然後他們上去的人，就架著梯子架到那邊去，然後把那兩個人給拉上來。”

王姓屋主重回家中，屋內滿是泥濘，裝修都被摧毀，門前車輛東倒西歪，屋子兩側多了好幾個木梯子，正當他疑惑時，受災民眾上門道謝，他這才想起，自己採收龍眼，忘記收起梯子，這個無心之舉，也成了救命關鍵。

[[受災屋主王先生]]
“種了兩三百盆的盆栽，有的種了都二、三十年了，全部都淹沒了，我們退休之後，我們來這裡過這種田園生活，想要救它們也沒有辦法無從救起啊，現在房子也清不掉。”

屋主的田園生活，遭到洪水沖毀，如今志工也一同協助清理家園，屋主的無心之舉救了多條人命，但他謙虛地說，如果沒有採龍眼，就不會留下木梯，因緣際會救了災民，或許要感謝龍眼樹。

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Voice of Mr. Wang
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