TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The evacuated residents of a partially-collapsed Dazhi apartment building returned home for the first time on Tuesday (Sept. 12) to retrieve their personal belongings, though some expressed disappointment regarding the limited time for retrieval.
The apartment buildings on Dazhi St. partially collapsed due to excavation work conducted by Kee Tai Properties late last Thursday. Following the incident, the city government evacuated 462 people from 236 households.
On Tuesday morning, residents living above the 2nd floor were allowed to return to their apartments to retrieve personal belongings with the assistance of Taiwan's Search and Rescue Team. Lee Shu-chuan, the Deputy Mayor of Taipei, was on-site to supervise the retrieval process.
However, some residents expressed frustration at the restricted time for retrieval, as they were only permitted 20 minutes inside the building per round, with a maximum of three rounds.
In response, Lee explained that the time limit was established due to safety concerns.
"The building is still tilting, and we want to ensure everyone's comfort and safety during this time. That's why we're asking residents to retrieve their belongings quickly. We've allowed three rounds in case anyone forgets something during the first round," Lee stated.
The development of the tilting Dazhi building incident has garnered national attention, with many closely monitoring compensation plans for the affected residents.
On Monday, the Taipei City government requested the freezing of an additional NT＄200 million of Kee Tai's assets on behalf of residents.
Responding to the compensation progress, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an reiterated in a press interview on Tuesday that he will definitely hold Kee Tai accountable, saying, "What matters to me are the tears of the affected residents, not the tears of the construction company."