A massive fire kills 9 people at a building under construction in Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Nine people died Thursday in a massive fire in central Taiwan at a huge food-processing building that was under construction, news reports said.

Video posted on social media showed a wall of dark gray smoke and orange flames billowing out of one end of the five-story building in the city of Taichung. The cause of the fire was undetermined but the Taichung government said it spread rapidly because of a large quantity of foam panels on site.

One person died after jumping from the third floor and the other victims were found by firefighters in a search that extended into the evening, Taiwanese media said. Nineteen people were rescued.

The building was being constructed for the PX Mart supermarket chain.

The Associated Press