Following the deadly gas explosions in Kaohsiung City, President Ma traveled there on the afternoon of August 2 to gain a firsthand understanding of the rescue and relief efforts. In addition to visiting a funeral parlor to pay respects to the victims, including firefighters who died in the line of duty, the president went to the Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital and the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital to visit those injured in the explosions. President Ma also visited the scene of the explosions to better understand the scale of the disaster and to thank members of the military for their hard work in the rescue effort.
After visiting injured persons at the Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, President Ma noted that late on the evening of July 31, a series of explosions shook parts of Kaohsiung City. The latest casualty figures, he said, indicated that 27 people were killed, 284 were injured, and three people were still missing. This horrific accident dealt a huge shock to the people of Taiwan, the president stated, adding that the central and local governments immediately engaged in cooperation and pooled their resources for the rescue effort. In addition, work was proceeding on resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and investigation of the accident, he said.
The president commented that upon arriving in Kaohsiung today, he went to the scene of the gas explosions to check on the soldiers who were still engaged in rescue operations, and he then went to two hospitals to visit persons injured in the accident. In addition, said the president, he was preparing to visit the Kaohsiung First Funeral Parlor to pay his respects to policemen and firemen who died in the line of duty, as well as other victims. President Ma also expressed hope that all medical personnel who were treating the injured would do their utmost to help the injured recover possible and return home as soon as.
President Ma also sadly noted the enormous number of casualties, the damage done to the area's streets, the collapsed houses and damaged vehicles, and the damage done to the property of hundreds of households in the area. The president said that the Executive Yuan had already formed a team to investigate the causes of the accident, and urged the team to determine the causes as quickly possible. At the same time, he said, the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office had also initiated a judicial investigation. The president said that information from these investigations would be forwarded to judicial authorities for their reference. Meanwhile, aside from carrying out an investigation, engaging in rescue work, rebuilding damaged areas, and resettling those displaced by the accident, President Ma said that he had instructed Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) to have government agencies proceed with a thorough inventory and inspection of all other underground pipelines throughout Taiwan to examine their safety and ensure that similar incidents do not occur.
President Ma said he felt that the most urgent tasks at the moment were to continue with the rescue work, and to quickly restore the areas damaged by the explosions to their original state, including streets, buildings, and the supply of water, electricity, and gas. He said that this infrastructure-related work should be handled as quickly as possible. The president also reiterated his call for the Executive Yuan to mobilize all firefighting, police, rescue, healthcare, social work, and environmental protection units, as well as military personnel, and to concentrate manpower and resources to quickly get the damaged areas back to normal. President Ma remarked that close coordination and cooperation was needed among central government agencies, among central government and local government agencies, and among agencies within local governments. The central government would make every effort to provide all assistance required, he stated.
The president said that although these gas explosions happened in Kaohsiung, people throughout Taiwan were deeply affected, and the Executive Yuan had already announced that national flags would be flown at half staff for three days starting from August 5 to express the nation's sadness at the loss of so many precious lives.
President Ma noted that businesses and individuals across the nation had stepped forward to offer donations that would be used to provide food and accommodations and help victims of the disaster to get through these difficult times. The president also praised the police officers, firemen (including volunteer firefighters), and soldiers for their hard work. He especially pointed to those rescuers who had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. President Ma also praised the many young people who had gone online to express their willingness to volunteer in the disaster area. He said he was deeply moved, and added that in the most difficult of times, the people of Taiwan always come together to help each other.
Lastly, President Ma again urged people to show compassion for their brethren and help friends and relatives in Kaohsiung to overcome this challenge, and to help these individuals to return to a normal life as soon as possible. "God bless Kaohsiung, God bless Taiwan, and may Taiwan be peaceful," the president said in concluding his remarks.