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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Man Ordered to Pay $13 Million for Hypermarket Fire Started with Lighter and Insecticide

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A 22-year-old man caused a fire at a Carrefour hypermarket in Taoyuan by igniting spray insecticide with a lighter.
  • The fire destroyed the hypermarket and affected adjacent businesses, leading to a nearly six-month closure.
  • The man has been ordered to pay nearly NT$400 million in damages to the hypermarket and affected stores.

A young man's reckless act of playing with fire has resulted in a massive damages claim of nearly NT$400 million after he set ablaze a Carrefour hypermarket in Taoyuan. The incident occurred two years ago when the 22-year-old, identified by his surname Guo, used a lighter to ignite spray insecticide in the cleaning supplies aisle.

The resulting inferno not only gutted the hypermarket but also spread to neighboring businesses in the shopping street, forcing the closure of the entire complex for nearly six months. Among the affected establishments was a coffee shop.

Following the incident, eight insurance companies jointly filed a subrogation claim against Guo. A recent ruling by the Taoyuan District Court ordered Guo to pay a total of NT$398 million in compensation. The case highlights the severe financial and operational consequences of negligent actions.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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