Tainan fire department vehicle crashes during mountain rescue drill, four lightly injured

During a mountain rescue training exercise in the East Mountain area of Tainan on July 23, a pump fire‑engine from the Liu‑ying station of the Tainan City Fire Department experienced a brake failure on a steep downhill road. The driver shouted “can’t brake, can’t brake!” as the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably, jumped the roadway and fell about 30 metres into a nearby ditch.

Four crew members, including the unit leader Liu Yǔjūn, were rescued by fellow firefighters. They sustained only minor scrapes and were taken to Liouying Chimei Hospital for observation, with no serious injuries reported. The fire bureau has ordered an immediate, city‑wide inspection of all 47 pump fire‑engines to determine whether a mechanical defect caused the incident, and the crashed vehicle will be recovered and examined by the manufacturer.

The incident has prompted renewed focus on vehicle maintenance and safety procedures for emergency services in the region.