According to the CCTV News app, early on the morning of July 14, a fire broke out at Sanyuan Energy Company in the Xiaogang District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The situation at the scene was critical, with thick smoke continuously billowing from the building and intermittent explosions heard.

Kaohsiung fire authorities received the alarm around 5 a.m. and responded promptly by dispatching rescue teams to the site. A total of 46 emergency vehicles and 91 firefighters were deployed to fight the fire. Due to the complex conditions on-site, firefighting robots were employed to ensure the safety of rescue personnel and improve the efficiency of operations. After intense efforts, the incident resulted in 12 employees sustaining minor abrasions and 3 firefighters suffering slight burns. All injured individuals have been promptly treated and none are in life-threatening condition.

The company’s location is near Kaohsiung Xiaogang Airport, raising public concerns about potential impacts on airport operations. In response, airport officials clarified that the fire has not affected flight arrivals or departures, and flight operations remain orderly.

Sanyuan Energy Technology’s lithium battery plant in Kaohsiung holds an important position in Taiwan’s new energy sector. It is Taiwan’s first super battery factory. Construction began at the end of 2021, with operations starting in 2023. The company is a subsidiary of Nengyuan Technology under the Taiwan Cement Group, tasked with building Taiwan’s first super battery factory. The company, affiliated with the Molicel battery brand of Nengyuan Technology, has facilities in Taiwan’s Southern Science Park, Kaohsiung Xiaogang, and Canada. It specializes in the development and manufacture of advanced, high-capacity, and high power lithium batteries. The factory located in the coastal industrial zone of Xiaogang is regarded as a significant achievement of the Kaohsiung city government’s investment promotion efforts.

Sanyuan Energy initially invested NT$12 billion, focusing on Molicel lithium nickel-rich ternary batteries with an annual production capacity of 1.8GW—equivalent to producing long-range batteries for 24,000 electric vehicles per year—providing strong support for the development of Taiwan’s new energy vehicle industry. The company targets international high-end customers and focuses on top-tier applications such as million-dollar electric supercars and space technology.

At present, the exact cause of the fire remains unclear, and the extent of property damage is still under investigation.

[Additional Information]

Xiaogang District is located at the southern end of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan Province, China. It borders Fengshan District to the north, Daliao District to the east, Qianzhen District to the northwest, the Taiwan Strait to the southwest, and Linyuan District to the south. It is home to Kaohsiung International Airport, China Steel Corporation, and China Shipbuilding Corporation.