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Three people are dead and another remain in intensive care after a fire at a
furniture factory in Taichung.

The city's Fire Bureau says the blaze broke out at the factory early
Wednesday morning and had engulfed the two-story iron structure in flames by
the time emergency service personnel arrived at the scene.

The fire quickly spread to an adjacent structure.

Fire bureau officials say although the factory owner managed to escape from
the building unassisted, he suffered second-degree burns affecting 30 percent
of his body.

His wife, son, and nephew were trapped inside the factory and were found dead
by firefighters.

The cause of the blaze in still under investigation.

The Taichung City Government says the factory has been under its oversight
since 2017 and had previously been ordered to improve fire safety and
environment protection equipment.

The Fire Bureau says it last passed a fire safety inspection in August of
last year.