TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A gas leak and a sinkhole measuring about 4 meters occurred Wednesday morning near an urban renewal project linked to the former headquarters of Formosa Plastics on Lane 199, Dunhua North Road in Taipei, according to UDN.
The incident occurred at about 10:42 a.m. near an active construction site and a residential area, prompting KMT Taipei City Councilor Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) and her team to quickly visit the scene to assess the situation. Residents expressed concern that ongoing construction may have caused the ground to become hollow, potentially threatening nearby buildings.
Police and firefighters established a safety cordon around the area after a strong smell of gas was detected, raising concerns about a possible explosion. The sinkhole was approximately 4 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 1 meter deep.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) visited the site later in the afternoon and said the damaged gas pipeline would be repaired and the area immediately backfilled. He said he hoped traffic could be restored as soon as possible after safety work was completed.
A preliminary investigation found that the incident was related to construction work carried out by BES Engineering Co. (中華工程) at the redevelopment site. The Taipei City Department of Urban Development issued a press release which said work was immediately suspended and that the contractor and supervisor could face a maximum fine of NT$90,000 (US$3,000) under relevant provisions of the Building Act for causing the pipeline rupture and road subsidence.
Taipei Deputy Mayor Chang Wen-te (張溫德) told local media that the initial assessment indicated the subsidence and pipeline damage were caused by soil loss during construction of a continuous diaphragm wall at the former Formosa Plastics Building, which consists of two 22-story towers and five underground floors, according to CNA.
Structural and civil engineers had inspected the site and determined that the sinkhole was unlikely to expand. A comprehensive safety assessment will be conducted to ensure the stability of surrounding buildings and protect nearby residents.
Taipei City Public Works Department will also request additional ground-penetrating radar scans of the surrounding geology to ensure safety. Taipei Gas said pipeline repairs are expected to take about four hours, and the damaged section is scheduled to be filled with controlled low-strength material by 6 p.m., allowing partial reopening of the road, per CNA.
