Teachers and students of Dakan Elementary School in Bali District suspended classes due to the smoke from the fire and were evacuated to a safe area.

(Provided by Dakan Elementary School)

[Reporter Weng Yuhuang/New Taipei Report] A fire broke out at the site of Xianxiang Technology Company at No. 189 Guanhai Avenue, Bali District, New Taipei City at about 2:12 pm on the 23rd. A large number of tires piled up on the site burned and emitted thick smoke. Kan Elementary School is only separated from the scene of the fire on Zhongxiao Street. Seeing the wind blowing the smoke to the campus, the principal worried that the pungent smell would cause discomfort to teachers and students, so he immediately evacuated more than 600 teachers and students to surrounding communities and open spaces. The Environmental Protection Bureau was notified. Personnel were sent to the scene to monitor the air quality. Due to the air pollution caused by the burning of the factory building, the factory did not take emergency response measures and did not notify the Environmental Protection Bureau within 1 hour. A fine of up to 20 million yuan will be imposed according to law.

Xie Zhengping, the principal of Dakan Elementary School, said that at about 2:00 in the afternoon, he saw from the principal's office that the factory building in the adjacent industrial area was on fire and a lot of smoke was coming out. The burning chemical smell was pungent. He worried that it would affect the safety of teachers and students, so he immediately evacuated the students. Classes have been suspended in the afternoon. The fire has been extinguished in the evening, and the smoke is gone. Classes will resume tomorrow.

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After learning about the fire, the Environmental Protection Bureau immediately dispatched personnel to monitor the fire. The fire was gradually brought under control after 1 or 2 hours. The wind direction was northerly and the wind speed was 2.4m/s. The monitoring of volatile organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide showed no obvious abnormal values. In addition, the nearby Bali Dakan Elementary School was monitored, and there were no obvious abnormal values.

Monitoring the PM2.5 concentration of the micro-sensor in New Taipei City found that because the wind direction is northerly, the downwind Wugu and Linkou areas have reached a red warning. Close the doors and windows when going out to avoid affecting your health.

Teachers and students of Dayan Elementary School were evacuated from the campus due to the smoke from the fire.

(Provided by Dakan Elementary School)