Unextinguished Incense Believed to Be Behind Deadly Fire in Taiwan's Kaohsiung, Reports Say

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Police in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung suspect that unextinguished sandalwood incense could have caused the deadly fire that hit a 13-story building, killing 46 people, national media reported on Friday.

The blaze erupted on the ground floor of the building, which is partially commercial and partially residential, late on Wednesday, killing 46 people and injuring 41 others. About 160 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, but the fire was put out only by Thursday morning. The city authorities said that more than 100 people lived in the residential apartments.

The investigation established that the ignition point was in a ground-floor apartment located behind an antique store, the EBC News broadcaster said. A woman living in the apartment allegedly burned sandalwood incense to repel mosquitoes, according to the news.

Police suspect that before leaving the apartment, the woman threw the remains of the incense in the trash can, where the fire then broke out, EBC News said. Several cylinders with gas and other flammable substances, which presumably led to the rapid spread of fire, were also found at the scene, the news added.

The woman was reportedly called in for questioning.