TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A court has ordered Taiwan Power Company to pay NT$603,926 (US$18,418) in damages to the Miaoli City Office for a landfill fire that burned for five days in 2023.

The conflagration broke out at the Xishan Landfill on Nov. 20 and took several days to extinguish. The Miaoli City Office argued that Taipower failed to properly maintain electrical safety, leading to sparks that ignited the blaze, CNA reported.

Fire investigators determined the fire was caused by an electrical arc from a Taipower utility pole, which resulted from insulation degradation and a current leak. The city office subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for disaster relief expenses.

Taipower’s Miaoli office responded Wednesday, stating it will consult legal counsel to consider an appeal. The company argued that with about 3.18 million utility poles across Taiwan, it has installed power outage protection devices that cut off power in case of a short circuit and conducts inspections every six months.

However, the court cited the fire department’s investigation, which ruled out natural disasters and arson as causes. No external objects or personnel were near the pole before the fire, and no cigarette butts, incense, or other flammable materials were found at the scene.

The judge concluded the insulator's deterioration led to a high-voltage current leak, creating an arc that generated sparks and ignited waste at the landfill. The court ruled that Taipower failed to take necessary precautions, such as replacing aging insulators, despite the pole being located within a landfill.

During the compensation review, the judge deducted NT$52,106, initially claimed for firefighter meals and bottled water, as it should have been covered by the fire department’s budget. The final ruling required Taipower to pay NT$603,926, though the case remains subject to appeal.