A powerful explosion tore through an illegally used waste site in Tainan, Taiwan, early Saturday, injuring at least 13 people and damaging nearby homes and vehicles. The incident began as a fire at a vacant lot along Haidian Road in the city’s Annan District, where industrial waste including aluminum-magnesium materials and used oil had reportedly been stored. The blaze intensified after firefighters arrived, eventually triggering a series of explosions that sent debris into the surrounding residential area.

Three firefighters and several residents were among those injured, with reported cuts, burns and other minor injuries requiring hospital treatment. Authorities said the injured were treated and released, while nearby residents were evacuated as emergency crews worked to contain the danger. Initial reports said 11 homes sustained significant damage, while later assessments found that dozens more properties were affected by the blast and resulting fire.

The nature of the materials stored at the site has become a central focus of the investigation. Officials said the waste appeared to include magnesium-containing material that can react violently with water, raising concerns that firefighting efforts and heavy rain may have contributed to the explosions. Investigators are now examining whether hazardous materials were illegally dumped at the location and how such a potentially dangerous collection of industrial waste came to be stored so close to residential properties.

The blast also damaged vehicles, including emergency-response equipment, and left residents facing broken windows, damaged structures and debris scattered across the area. Environmental officials moved to cover the remaining waste with soil in an effort to limit further reactions involving air and rainwater. Authorities have also begun questioning people connected to the site as they work to determine who was responsible for the waste and whether environmental regulations were violated.

The incident is now raising fresh questions about illegal waste disposal and industrial safety in densely populated areas. What was initially reported as a fire at a vacant lot quickly became a major emergency involving hazardous materials, explosions and widespread property damage. As investigators determine exactly what caused the blast and who allowed the waste to be stored there, residents and officials are demanding answers about how such a dangerous site was permitted to exist so close to homes.