Explosion injures 13

A fire on a vacant lot in a residential area led to the injury of three firefighters and 10 residents in Taiwan on August 22. Reports state that an intense fire broke out on a lot containing waste materials, which exploded during firefighting operations, which spread flames to eight homes and damaged 11 cars, six fire trucks, one ambulance and two disaster relief vehicles. The materials on the lot apparently included waste oil and aluminium-magnesium alloy, which in contact with water can release flammable hydrogen gas and may ignite spontaneously.