TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Three persons were injured and 14 homes damaged after a garbage truck exploded in northeastern Taiwan on Friday night (June 29), reported TVBS.

At 7:25 p.m. on Friday evening, a garbage truck was making its rounds on Kunming Road in Yilan County's Su'ao Township, and as it started to compress the latest load, witnesses suddenly heard a large "bang." The rear of the vehicle then exploded, injuring three people and damaging 14 homes, many of which suffered shattered windows.

Among the inured was a 34-year-old sanitation worker surnamed Chan (詹), who was standing next to the truck when the blast occurred and suffered damage to his eardrums. A 59-year-old man surnamed Chang (張) suffered the most severe injuries after his body was peppered with shards of glass from the blast, while a 66-year-old woman surnamed Liao (廖) suffered less severe injuries, also from flying glass.



Wounds suffered by Chan. (Photo from Su'ao Fire Department)

A physician at Saint Mary's Hospital Luodong told TVBS, "Chang has suffered many wounds, including to his chest, abdomen and limbs. The patient's injuries are relatively more serious and we will arrange to have him hospitalized.

Police suspect that it was Chang who had tossed a combustible gas cannister or cannisters of some sort into the trash truck, and when vehicle's compactor was activated, the gas container(s) ruptured, leading to the large explosion. However, Chang denied this and said that he had only been disposing of ordinary household waste.

Su'ao mayor Chen Chin-lin (陳金麟) visited the affected neighborhood and handed out NT$3,600 in initial compensation to the residents for the damage inflicted on their homes, reported CNA. Once an assessment of the cost to repair the damaged homes is made by the township government, repair subsidies and services will be offered to residents.

The township has coordinated with the Yilan County Environmental Protection Bureau on obtaining a temporary replacement garbage truck to ensure that trash collection services continue in the area normally.

Police are still investigating the exact cause of the blast.