Three people were feared dead in Kaohsiung Thursday after they were buried by scaffolding falling from a 20-story-tall building. Three people were feared dead in Kaohsiung Thursday after they were buried by scaffolding falling from a 20-story-tall building. (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Two people died and one person was gravely injured Thursday after being buried by falling scaffolding from a 20-story-tall building under construction in Kaohsiung.

The incident happened as strong winds were buffeting the area amid a tropical depression which caused flooding and traffic disruption across the region, with several county and city governments announcing evening closures for schools and offices.

At around 3 p.m., a strong wind hit the scaffolding, and amid a loud noise, the metal elements fell from the structure, burying three people in the street, according to the police precinct in the city’s Sanmin District.

Police cordoned off the area while a rescue team removed the wreckage from the scene. Underneath they found one man and two women who showed no signs of life, the Central News Agency reported.

After they were transferred to hospital, one woman was reported in coma in a serious condition, while another woman and her son were pronounced dead. All three had reportedly been passing by the site on motorcycles.