4 Filipino workers die in Taiwan food factory fire, Meco chief confirms

Silvestre Bello III

MANILA, Philippines — Four Filipino migrant workers died in a fire that struck a food factory in Changhua County in Taiwan, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) said on Thursday.

Meco chief Silvestre Bello III said three of them died due to suffocation from the “very thick smoke” that came from the blaze on Tuesday morning.

Their next of kin had been contacted as early as Wednesday, he noted.

Bello said the latest casualty, identified as Maricris Fernando, lost her life while undergoing medical treatment at a hospital.

“Naging apat kanina lang. About an hour ago, nabalitaan ko na si Maricris na dati ay one of the injured ay natuluyan na,” he said over ABS-CBN News’ TeleRadyo.

(They became four. I found out about an hour ago that Maricris Fernando, who used to be one of the injured people, had died.)

This leaves four other Filipinos, who had sustained minor injuries from the fire, in the hospital.

Meco is the representative office of the Philippines in Taiwan that functions as a de facto embassy in the absence of diplomatic relations between Manila and Taipei.

Remains to be repatriated

Bello said the remains of the four deceased Filipinos will be brought to the Philippines in not more than a week.

“As soon as natapos na lahat…at mapirmahan na lahat ng documentary requirements, they will immediately be repatriated. It will not take a week before they will be repatriated,” he added.

(As soon as everything is finished…and all the documentary requirements are signed, they will immediately be repatriated. It will not take a week before they will be repatriated.)

According to Bello, the workers’ employer, Lian Hwa Foods Corporation, has extended medical assistance to all of the victims.

The Taiwan government will also be providing 100,000 NTD for every casualty, he added.

This, according to the Meco chair, is on top of the insurance coverage under their employer.

The Philippine government, for its part, will also be providing P200,000 death benefits and P20,000 burial benefits to the bereaved kin of the victims who perished in the fire.

Education assistance will also be extended to the children of the deceased Filipinos, should they have any.

Bello said Meco is coordinating with Taiwan authorities probing the cause of the fire.

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