Atleast 46 die in fire in southern Taiwan and Dozens injured

More than 40 people have died after a fire broke out in a residential building in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung.

The fire broke out in the 40-year-old building in Kaohsiung’s Yancheng at around 3am and destroyed several floors of the tower in the city of Kaohsiung.

Video footage shown on Taiwanese television showed orange flames and smoke billowing out of the lower floors of the building as firefighters tackled the blaze.

Kaohsiung fire chief Lee Ching-hsiu said firefighters were still going through the building and it looked like the number of dead could exceed 40 people.

Mayor Chen Chi-mai said the building was partly abandoned, having previously been host to restaurants, karaoke lounges and a cinema.

The government is investigating the cause including whether arson was to blame.