Taiwan oil refinery explosion triggers protests

TAIPEI - An explosion occurred at an oil refinery in the city of Taoyuan at 6:42 am on Monday. More than 40 fire engines were sent to the scene. The fire has been brought under control and no casualties have been reported.

Nearby residents said they heard multiple huge explosions. The shock was comparable to an earthquake, they said.

An initial investigation showed the explosion was caused by a ruptured pipe at the refinery. The petrochemical company had restarted its refining equipment early on Monday morning after annual maintenance when the blast happened, according to the firm.