Category：Society

Driver abandons clubgoers citing complex home address

Earlier this year, a taxi driver abandoned a passenger who then met with a fatal accident. A similar case has occurred on Tuesday, where passengers were abandoned, but thankfully in this case, they were safe. A woman surnamed Lee and her friends were heading home from an evening out in Xinyi District to Wanhua District where they lived. But as soon as the driver got on the Civic Boulevard elevated road, he claimed their address was too complex to reach and he couldn’t find it or use GPS and left the three on the roadside. Luckily, a taxi passing by picked them up and dropped them home.

A taxi speeds away as the three passengers laugh helplessly at it. They are stranded on the Civic Boulevard expressway in the middle of the night with barely any cars around.

One of the stranded women, posted a rant on social media. She called the cops after a taxi driver left her stranded on the elevated road, who advised her to flag down a cab or call for another one. Thankfully, within five minutes, another taxi driver noticed there were people stranded on the highway and took them to the Xiyuan Police Station in Wanhua.

Lee Yu-han
FTV reporter
The woman had requested the driver to drop them at a convenience store near her home, but the driver claimed he was unfamiliar with the roads and navigation tools and excused himself by dropping the lot off in the middle of the elevated highway.

Around 3am on the 10, the woman and her two friends were abandoned by a taxi on the Civic Boulevard elevated road. She vented online that they were heading home to Wanhua District from a nightclub in Xinyi District when the taxi driver suddenly claimed that their address was too complicated and he didn’t know how to use navigation. He left them on the expressway and sped away. Once off the expressway, the woman called the cops to file a complaint claiming this was grounds for eventual intent homicide to which the cop said the lawsuit might fall through. The woman, helplessly asked whether only serious accidents warranted attention?

Chao Chih-yun
Lawyer
If the driver believed that the passengers could be struck and killed by other vehicles and still abandoned them and exposed them to danger, the driver could be convicted of dolus eventualis or eventual intent homicide. The passenger’s conscious state does not absolve the driver of criminal liability.

For taxi fare disputes and stopping without cause on elevated roads, police can already issue fines between NT$1,200 to NT$6,000. Earlier this year, a similar incident involved a taxi driver dumping a 25-year-old intoxicated man, who was later struck and killed. An investigation has been launched and police will question the driver.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#abandonment #homicide #doluseventualis #taxi #civicboulevard #taiwan

2026-11-10

Lithium battery explosion at Foxlink Headquarters

It seems Terry Gou’s younger brother will have a full plate this week! A fire broke out at his company, Foxlink, on Monday morning in Tucheng Industrial Park. Preliminary investigations revealed the explosions were linked to EV lithium batteries on the fifth floor warehouses. Among the 30 people on-site, one was unaccounted for, who was guided by firefighters to the window and successfully rescued from the window.

Deafening sirens filled the air as firefighters and ambulances rushed to put out a fire at Foxlink, a listed company located in Tucheng. The entire building was covered in smoke.

Firefighters deployed a ladder to rescue a 50-year-old trapped on the fifth floor of the building. The man did not suffer from any severe injuries and was sent to the hospital for examination.

Although the fire was under control, the interiors of the warehouse continued to explode and blacken the windows. Firefighters on-site were covered in soot.

A fire broke out at Foxlink, a publicly listed company in Tucheng Industrial Park in New Taipei on Monday morning. The intense fire terrified nearby residents.

Member of public
Lives nearby
It seemed that someone was trapped. Making such precise things can be dangerous; it happened in the warehouse, the fire kept growing.

Preliminary investigations reveal the fire broke out on the fifth floor of the warehouse possibly by the explosion of lithium batteries from electric vehicles. The exact cause is yet to be determined. The fire department dispatched 47 vehicles and 102 staff to the scene. There were 30 people on-site; one person was unaccounted for who was guided via phone and later rescued from the window.

Chen Chung-yueh
Chief of Fire Department
They noticed problems with the batteries in the warehouse. They moved the lithium batteries to the hallway but the batteries continued to explode. There were three storage rooms and the damaged area was roughly 150 to 200 square meters.

A Foxlink representative has spoken out saying that public safety is a priority. As updates continue to be released, matters will be clarified for investors. The cause behind the lithium battery explosion is still under investigation.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#warehouse #foxlink #scandal #lithiumbattery #explosion #terrygou

2026-11-09

Man jumps out of car just before it explodes on highway

At 8am on the Nov. 6, a car caught on fire on the intersection of Provincial Highway 74 and 139. The driver noticed white smoke coming out of the back of the SUV and quickly came to a stop by the side of the road. The moment he jumped off, the vehicle erupted into flames followed by several loud explosions. In a few moments, the entire car was burned to its shell leaving the driver feeling very lucky to have gotten out in time.

Large columns of smoke and huge bright orange flames emerge from a burning car!

Loud explosions could be heard from a car engulfed in flames by the highway.

Around 8am on Friday morning, a car burst into flames near a highway. In just a few minutes, the entire SUV exploded and burned beyond saving. Firefighters arrived on scene just off the intersection of Provincial Highway 74A and 139 in Changhua to extinguish the fire.

Driver
Owner of the SUV
Suddenly, the back of the car emitted white smoke; I quickly pulled over to the right and stopped the car, the moment I got off it burst into flames. Originally, the car was giving alerts saying that it “needs service.” I was about to head to the service center today, but then this happened.

The accident took place during the morning rush hour and many passing by witnessed the horrifying scene. The driver explained he had received several warning alerts from the car and had already scheduled a check-up at the service center. But as he was driving he noticed white smoke coming out of the back of the car and he quickly stopped the car and jumped out just in time.

Hsiao Chun-hsiung
Firefighter in Changhua East Fire Department
When we arrived on the scene, the fire was quite big, after hosing it down the fire was under control.

Why the car suddenly caught on fire and whether it is directly related to the service warnings remains under investigation.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#fireaccident #carexplosion #traffic #changhua #taiwanaccident

2026-11-06

Fire breaks out in Industrial Park leaving a man severely burned

The sky flooded with bright orange flames on Wednesday evening in Changhua. A huge explosion at a four-story chemical plant in Changbin Industrial Park left a 60-year-old employee trapped on the rooftop. He had climbed to the highest point of the building waiting to be rescued. Firefighters arrived and used a ladder truck to bring the man to safety. Unfortunately, 30% of his body was covered in second-degree burns; he is currently under critical observation at the hospital.

A massive fire broke out on a four-story chemical plant in Changbin Industrial Park. The sky filled with columns of smoke and orange flames.

Loud explosions could be heard from inside the factory. One male worker was even trapped on the rooftop of the burning building with the fire just below him. Firefighters continued to spray water to stop the fire from reaching the man. They used a ladder to brave the flames and two firefighters risked their lives to reach out and grab the worker’s hand, bringing him onto the ladder and to safety.

Chiang Chin-sung
Deputy of First Battalion in Changhua Fire Department
Where he was stuck on the 4th floor, the truck deployed a ladder to rescue and bring him to safety.

The fire broke out around 6pm and spread rapidly due to the large quantities of flammable liquids inside the building. The 60-year-old employee was rescued around 8pm and suffered severe burns on his back. An ambulance rushed him to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Chiu Chun-chieh
Chief of Emergency Care, Changhua Christian Hospital
Around 30% of his body was covered in second-degree burns and was admitted to the burn unit, he is in critical condition.

The man survived more than 2 hours in the fire which is a miracle. The following 72 hours will be very tense for this worker as he battles it out under critical observation. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#fire #chemicalplant #changhua #chemicalexplosion #industrialplant

2026-11-05

Unruly drunk man harasses pipa player mid-performance

An unruly drunk man ruined a street performance that a pipa player was putting on in Taipei’s bustling Xinyi District. The player was getting to the end of her show when a man reeking of alcohol approached her and demanded she play a song of his choosing. She accepted his request, but shortly after was interrupted by the man who whistled at her and got too close to her. The last straw was when he reached out and touched her music stand.

Ruen Ying
Picked-on Pipa player
I was dead scared at the time. There was quite a large crowd in a circle, but he stepped really close to me, and stretched out his arms to get a touch. He ended up touching my music stand. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get away since I was carrying my pipa. I stopped the show and told him that I wouldn’t continue until he went and stood behind the line. That way, everyone watching was focused on him. I think it was a good way to handle it.

Ruen Ying has been playing the pipa for 18 years now. At the insistence of her friends, she signed up to the exams to become a licensed street performer. For the past five years, she has been filling the capital with her music, racking up more than 30,000 followers on social media. She says the uncomfortable encounter with the drunken man was the first negative experience she’s had, adding that she’ll be more alert in the future.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#pipa #琵琶 #streetperformer #taipei #music

2026-11-05

Cancer survivors, families cycle 1,100km around Taiwan

The annual round-the-island cycling event held by the Taiwan Anti-Cancer Association has kicked off its 14th edition. This year, 45 cancer survivors and their family members are challenging themselves to bike 1,100 kilometers over 10 days. One of the cyclists is Wang Lin-chi, who was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer that had metastasized to her brain. Refusing to let her illness break her spirit, she successfully summited Yushan back in June right after her treatment, and now she’s taking on this cycling challenge.

At the sound of the horn, riders step on their pedals and head out on a grand journey around Taiwan. But these aren’t any ordinary cyclists. These 45 participants are all cancer survivors and their family members, embarking on a 10-day, 1,100-kilometer journey around the island.

Now in its 14th year, the “riding for life” cycling event presents a formidable physical challenge for anyone, let alone a cancer patient who’s endured the far more grueling journey of treatment.

Huang Wen-chien
MacKay Memorial Hospital vice superintendent
We at the Taiwan Anti-Cancer Association have been organizing this event for 14 years. Our mission is, first and foremost, to help these patients step out of their isolated worlds. Second, we hope they can inspire more patients like them. And of course, during the journey, we hope to spread the love wherever we go.

Wang Lin-chi
Cancer survivor
When climbing Yushan, for instance, you realize just how extraordinarily beautiful everything is along the way. You realize that life doesn’t stop with treatment or in the hospital room. Getting outside feels wonderful. It completely transforms your outlook.

From battling disease to summiting Taiwan’s highest peak, and now cycling around the island, riders like Wang are proving there are no limits, bringing courage to her fellow cancer survivors.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#cancer #cancersurvivor #inspiring #cycling #roundtheisland

2026-11-04

Life or death building crash in Beitou Market hospitalizes 4

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s wife, Shih Fang-hsuan campaigned with KMT councilors at Beitou’s old market on Tuesday morning. When, all of a sudden, a scaffolding of five floors come crashing down and sent four injured to the hospital. Mayor Chiang arrived on site shortly after the accident, and ordered a stoppage on the project as well as fining the company NT$2.5million.

Around 10:30 in the morning, many were caught by surprise in a local vegetable market when the scaffolding, of a building undergoing demolition, suddenly collapsed; leaving people below to run for their lives. Unfortunately some were unable to escape and were severely injured.

Nearby Vendor
Believed people were ignorant
In the morning, some said it was shaking, but nobody paid attention to it, so this happened, and it crashed down.

Parts of Beitou Market in Taipei are undergoing construction and demolition of the old market. The scaffolding collapsed taking with it 6 scooters and 4 people who were sent to the hospital. The life and death situation caused many to panic and seek shelter under the canopies of nearby stores. The loud crash of the scaffolding falling terrified everyone, and could be heard from two streets away.

Injured individuals were rushed to the hospital in ambulances. One of the injured was a construction worker that had fallen from the third floor of the scaffolding. Due to severe injuries, he remains in the ICU.

Lin Hua-ching
Doctor
When he arrived, his condition was serious, he had fallen from the third floor to the ground. There was a sudden change in consciousness, but when he was sent to our hospital, he was conscious and he could speak. We conducted a thorough examination, and found that he had some bleeding in the brain; we call this an epidural hematoma. Additionally, we found a fracture in his left rib and a stable fracture in his pelvis. However, there was no hemothorax, pneumothorax, or bleeding in the pelvis or abdomen.

A preliminary assessment by civil engineers reveals the scaffolding was not adjusted to the height of the building after demolition, even after unloading in layers it remains 5 stories high, and with the added strong winds, it’s clear what caused the disaster.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
With regards to the construction company and contractual obligations, we will immediately impose a heavy penalty and order a work stoppage.

At the time of the incident, the Mayor’s wife, Shih Fang-hsuan, was campaigning in the streets in the nearby market. After the incident, Mayor Chiang also immediately arrived at the scene. The city government has fined the company NT$2.5 million, and ordered a stoppage on the project.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#beitoumarket #localmarket #chiangwanan #buildingcrash #accident

2026-11-03

Doctor punched bloody by man unhappy with mother’s recovery

An orthopedic doctor was beaten black and blue by a man who was unhappy with his mother’s post-surgery recovery. The incident happened last week at a hospital in Kaohsiung. Police were called to the scene and took the assailant away, who was been referred for investigation for violations of the Medical Care Act. His punches left the doctor with several face injuries and a concussion. Let’s hear from the doctor.

Voice of orthopedic doctor
Was punched by man
He suddenly snapped, hurled insults at me and started throwing punches. He hit me at least five or six times. I was backed into a corner, but he still wouldn’t let up and kept punching me in the face. Even with so many people trying to restrain him, he just wouldn’t stop attacking me. And to make matters worse, my own parents happened to be at the clinic that day for my outpatient consultation. They saw what was happening from outside and were in tears.

Chien Chun-cheng
Police officer
Police arrested the suspect, surnamed Pan, at the scene. The case has been referred to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office for investigation on suspicion of violating the Medical Care Act and assault.”

Member of public
Disturbed by incident
We, as a society, should have zero tolerance for things like this.

Member of public
Outraged
It’s outrageous. He could have just talked it out. There was no need for violence.

Security cameras captured the moment that staff escorted the man out of the consultation room. But even after police arrived, he continued trying to resist. Inside the consultation room, the beating left the doctor bloodied, with face masks and tissues stained red. He suffered abrasions and contusions to his forehead, nose, and upper and lower lips, bruising beneath his right eye, as well as a concussion. Commenters say the man’s behavior was absolutely unacceptable; after all, the doctor was just doing his job. Now, he’ll be facing legal consequences for his violent outburst.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#doctor #orthopedic #medicine #care #hospital

2026-11-02

Illegal taxi driver high on zombie vapes while picking up passengers

Imagine getting into a car, only to realize the driver is so high on drugs he can barely hold his phone steady! That’s exactly what happened to a passenger in Kaohsiung, who had called an unlicensed ride and quickly noticed the driver’s hands shaking uncontrollably. The passenger quickly called the police, who discovered that the drier was under the influence of zombie vape drugs.

The passenger was telling the driver his destination, when he realized the driver’s hands were so shaky that he could barely hold his phone.

In a sudden rage, the passenger told the driver to get out of the car, and called the police.

The incident happened in Kaohsiung’s Zuoying District. The driver was 23-year-old Mr. Ting, who was caught drugged behind the wheel by his passengers in an unlicensed car. When police arrived, the driver handed them an etomidate cartridge, colloquially known as zombie vape juice. A blood test later turned out positive for the drug.

Lee Hsiu-ling
Police officer
The case was referred to the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office for investigation on suspicion of endangering public safety and violating the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act. The driver faces a NT$150,000 fine for drug-impaired driving. The vehicle was immediately impounded and confiscated, while the driver’s license was revoked and the vehicle’s license plates were confiscated.

The passenger barely avoided a trip with a drugged driver and posted about the incident online.

Member of public
Would see red flag
If his hands were shaking like that, I’d be concerned about it affecting the driving. I would keep a close eye.

Member of public
Would call police
I’d probably say, sorry and ask him to drop me off there and then. I’d call the police.

Zombie vape incidents have captured headlines in recent months. This time, the protagonist was an illegal cabbie who even tried to pick up passengers. Fortunately, the passenger quickly realized something was wrong and called the police to intervene and avoid a potentially disastrous outcome.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#zombie #vape #taxi #cabbie #driver

2026-11-02

Santa Claus ornament crushed by truck in three-vehicle bus crash

Santa Claus became a key casualty of a traffic accident involving three vehicles in Changhua’s Puxin Township. Of course, it wasn’t the real Santa, but a Christmas decoration that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The crash happened after bus driver started feeling dizzy behind the wheel and rammed the vehicle into a truck that was parked on the side of the road. The truck then hit another car before wreaking havoc in an area with personal items from residents. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured.

A bus rams itself head-on against a truck parked at the side of the road, which is pushed forward to crash against another car before barging towards a residential building. The chaos and destruction even included a Santa decoration that ended up as a casualty of the crash, trapped under the truck.

Voice Ms. Tu
Witnessed crash
Maybe the truck wasn’t parked fully. The driver wasn’t on the truck, he had gone across the street for a delivery. Then the bus came crashing into it. I freaked out when I saw the Santa under the truck, I thought it was a real person.

The crash happened on Wednesday afternoon. The driver of the bus was Mr. Wei, in his 60s. He was driving along Yuanlu Road in Puxin when he started feeling dizzy. A miscalculated turn caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

Voice of Hsieh Shih-chieh
Yuanlin Bus
The driver was feeling unwell. So as he drove by, he accidentally crashed into a vehicle parked on the side of the road.

Wang Chih-min
Police officer
The driver of the bus and a passenger sustained scratches. The driver tested negative for alcohol, so we’re ruling out a DUI.

The driver banged his head against the windshield of the bus and sustained minor injuries. Fortunately, it was nothing severe. For the passengers, it was also mostly just a scare, though one was sent to hospital for a check-up. Sadly the Santa Claus ornament will not make it to this year’s Christmas.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#bus #crash #santa #christmas #yuanlin

2026-10-29