TAIPEI (TVBS News) —Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an inspected the affected neighborhood near the collapsed construction site on Dazhi Street in Zhongshan District, Taipei City, on Friday (Sept. 8). This inspection followed the evacuation of 369 residents from their homes late Thursday night.
In a morning press briefing, Chiang mentioned the city government has arranged water trucks and grouting trucks to grout the construction site since last night, which will take three days to finish.
"Next, we will stabilize the current condition and maintain ongoing monitoring of the collapsed building and nearby constructions through underground monitoring systems," Chiang added.
The Dominican International School suspended classes today after cracks appeared on the running tracks and walls due to last night's construction site collapse.
As severe cracks were identified on walls of alleyways near the school, Hsu Mao-ching, director-general of the Taipei Structural Engineers Association, explained, "During an inspection, cracks were also discovered in the sports field, indicating signs of expansion."
Kee Tai Properties expressed sincere regret and pledged to take full responsibility, providing assistance to the affected households in a statement released today.
However, affected residents expressed outrage toward the city government for ignoring their previous petitions to inspect the site. They also complained that the company had reassured them about the safety of its work before the incident.
According to experts from the Civil Engineers Association, preliminary findings indicate that the affected area consists of soft clay layers, and the building tilted due to a "bump" in the layer. The team will conduct a thorough investigation to assess the situation further.