A suspected gas explosion at a department store in Taichung, Taiwan, claimed the lives of at least four people and injured 26 others, including tourists from Macau, fire officials reported Thursday.
The explosion, which occurred on the 12th floor of the Taichung Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store, caused significant damage to the building from the ninth floor upward. The 12th-floor food court, where the blast took place, was closed for construction at the time of the incident.
Among the victims, two of the deceased and five of the injured were identified as tourists from Macau. One of the injured is currently in intensive care, according to the health ministry.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has called for a swift and thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion, expressing his concerns in a post on Facebook.
