Seven die in Taiwan food factory blaze

At least seven people have died after a fire broke out in a factory of a top Taiwanese food processor in Changhua county. Three others were in critical condition.

The blaze erupted around 6 am yesterday, trapping 22 Lian Hwa Foods Corp staff in the building.

The workers were pulled out by firefighters, but 10 of them did not have any vital signs when evacuated.

The 10 were among 15 who hid in a refrigerated facility, according to the county's fire bureau. The seven others were found on other floors.

All 22 were rushed to six hospitals.

Changhua Hospital received seven victims, but three were declared dead upon arrival.

Two of the three were a foreign national, 29, and a 44-year-old man, while the third is believed to be a 49-year-old woman. Yuan-Rung Hospital handled five victims, including three who were declared dead upon arrival.

Two of them are a 30-year-old migrant worker and a 41-year-old Taiwanese, while the third is believed to be a 62-year-old man.

Two others are being treated at Yuanlin Christian Hospital.

One person was pronounced dead at Cho Hospital.

The Lian Hwa Foods factory has no record of safety violations of safety rules, according to the Ministry of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The fire was extinguished around 9.12 am.

Lian Hwa Foods said it suspected the fire began at one or more of its machines.