PINGTUNG (TVBS News) — A fire erupted at the 3rd Nuclear Power Plant (核三廠) in Hengchun Township (恆春鎮) on Thursday (March 6), prompting a swift response from local firefighters. The Pingtung County Government (屏東縣政府) criticized the plant for not immediately reporting the incident, citing a violation of local emergency notification regulations.
The county government stated the plant's failure to notify authorities immediately breached its local emergency notification act. The act stipulates fines ranging from NT$40,000 to NT$100,000 for such violations. Officials intended to impose the maximum penalty to ensure the plant's future compliance and immediate notification of the competent authority.
The Pingtung Bureau of Fire and Emergency Services (屏東縣消防局) received a report at 11:23 a.m., noticing heavy black smoke from the plant. They dispatched nine vehicles and 21 personnel. The plant reported at 11:34 a.m. that two cooling towers behind an abandoned air compressor building had caught fire.
Firefighters had the blaze under control quickly, extinguishing the remaining embers by 11:50 a.m. Authorities emphasized the importance of adherence to safety protocols, urging the plant to take more precautions in the future.