Washington: A woman and four children were found dead in a fire in Taoyuan's Zhongli District. The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office stated that they died of asphyxiation, while the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

According to Focus Taiwan, prosecutors, along with medical examiners, established that the victims died from respiratory failure due to fire or smoke inhalation, leading to suffocation. The victims included a 35-year-old mother, surnamed Huang, her 10-year-old daughter, and 9-year-old son, as well as a 10-year-old boy and his 9-year-old sister who were staying overnight at Huang's residence.

Autopsy certificates have been issued to the families, which are necessary for making funeral arrangements as these deaths were not due to natural causes. The local chapter of the Association of Victims' Support in Taoyuan has reached out to the families, offering NT$5,000 (US$163) each, and will assist with accommodation needs.

The fire occurred on the top floor of a three-story reinforced concrete building on Long'an Street. It was reported to the fire department at 5:31 a.m., with fire crews arriving at 5:40 a.m. The flames were controlled by 6:08 a.m. and fully extinguished by 6:17 a.m.

Prosecutors leading the investigation have visited the site to guide police and firefighters in evidence collection. The cause of the blaze remains undetermined as investigations continue.