Two people have died and five people were injured following a fire and explosion at a Taiwanese factory owned by Panasonic Industrial Devices Materials.

According to a report from Focus Taiwan, the fire broke out at the five-story factory in Hsinchu at around 2:00 am local time on November 4. More than 20 members of staff were believed to be working on the production lines when the incident occurred.

The report added that 12 vehicles and 23 firefighters were dispatched to the site, and heavy machinery was required to dig through the debris. It was then that the deceased workers, who had previously been reported missing, were discovered.

The five injured workers were transported to hospital. No information about their condition has been publicly disclosed.

Initial reports suggested the fire was caused by flammable chemical solvents, such as methanol and methyl ethyl ketone, which are used at the factory. However, in a statement, the Hsinchu Fire Bureau said that the exact cause of the incident was still under investigation. The bureau additionally noted that the factory had passed a fire safety inspection in August.

DCD has contacted Panasonic for comment.

First opened in December 1987, the Hsinchu factory is used by Panasonic to manufacture printed circuit boards and semiconductor packaging materials. A semiconductor materials R&D center was established on the site in April 2019.

DCD's sympathies go out to the family and friends of the victims.