TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Indigenous Languages Research and Development Foundation in Taipei was evacuated on Friday after the large structure began leaning to the left.
People inside the building and passersby in Zhongzheng District were alarmed when it was discovered the building had shifted on its foundation and was leaning into the neighboring building, reported CNA. Photographs of the structure show damaged window grates and siding tiles that fell to the sidewalk below.
After being alerted to the hazardous situation at 1:10 p.m., police and firefighters assessed the danger. They set up a safety cordon and implemented traffic control measures along Section One of Roosevelt Road.
Initial reports suggest that one of the building’s main support columns has been damaged. Experts from the Taipei City Construction Management Office and the Taipei Structural Engineers Association have been dispatched to inspect the building and its foundation which may have partially collapsed, per CNA.
Authorities will continue to observe the situation and ensure the building is secure before allowing anyone to reenter the structure.
Earlier this month, an apartment complex in New Taipei collapsed suddenly due to adjacent construction work. Over the past two years, Taipei has also experienced several sinkholes that sparked widespread concern for infrastructure safety.