PUBLISHED ONJune 09, 2026 8:09 AMBYSean LerA suspected gas explosion at a three-storey residential building in Taiwan's Hsinchu on Tuesday (June 9) morning left two people dead and at least two others injured.
The incident allegedly originated from an eatery on the first floor.
Closed circuit television (CCTV) footage shows a series of explosions from the said unit at about 3.50am.
Videos posted on Threads show the streets littered with debris. The balcony of the second-floor unit above the eatery had also collapsed partially.
Firefighters could be seen searching through a heap of debris in front of the affected building.
@asiaone A suspected gas explosion at an eatery in Taiwan's Hsinchu on Tuesday (June 9) morning turned a stretch of Gaocui Road into an area resembling a battlefield - with debris scattered across the road. Two persons died in the incident. #news #Taiwan #Gas #Explosion ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
In a media briefing chaired by the Hsinchu City Government Mayor Gao Hongan at about 1.50pm, fire bureau commissioner Lee Shi Kung said firefighters found four victims, two of whom — a 65-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman — were later pronounced dead.
The commissioner also shared that preliminary investigations have indicated that the explosion could have been caused by a gas leak.
The city government has also instructed its relevant departments to help with temporary accommodation arrangements for residents from eight households.
Gao said in a Facebook post at about 8am that she has instructed the public works department and environmental protection bureau to accelerate clean-up efforts, noting that roads in the area have already been reopened to the public.
Meanwhile, the building's structural integrity will be assessed by engineers before residents can be allowed to return to their homes.
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