Hot Pot Restaurant Fire Spreads to Neighboring Home; Court Orders NT$5 Million Compensation

A hot pot restaurant's electrical malfunction sparked a fire that devastated a neighboring residence in Taitung City in 2023, leading to a court-ordered compensation of NT$5 million.

The Taitung District Court ruled that the restaurant operator must pay the affected homeowner for damages. The court determined that the operator's failure to adequately maintain business equipment caused the fire. The incident occurred in late May 2023, when a fire broke out in a building on Zhonghua Road in Taitung City.

Investigations by police and the fire department identified the origin of the blaze as the building next door, which was leased to a Mr. Hu for his hot pot restaurant. An electrical fault in a refrigerator used for business operations ignited the fire. Compounded by inadequate fire prevention measures in the building itself, the flames rapidly spread to the adjacent house owned by Mr. Lin, resulting in the complete destruction of its structure and contents.

The homeowner sued Mr. Hu, the hot pot restaurant operator, and the landlord, seeking NT$5 million in compensation for his losses. Mr. Hu did not appear in court or submit any defense. Based on evidence including the fire department's investigation report and property records, the court found the plaintiff's claims to be clear. As the defendant failed to contest the claims, the court deemed them admitted and held Mr. Hu liable for the damages.