PHOTO ESSAY/Demolition of building damaged in Hualien earthquake completed

04/17/2024 08:36 PM

To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below.

Workers and excavators line up Wednesday facing the direction of the demolished Uranus building to pay tribute to a woman surnamed Kang (康), a resident of the building who died attempting to save her cat in the April 3 earthquake. CNA photo April 17, 2024

Taipei, April 17 (CNA) The demolition of the Uranus building in Hualien County, which tilted and partially collapsed after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake on April 3, was completed Wednesday.

After completion, workers and excavators lined up and paid tribute to a woman surnamed Kang (康), a resident of the building who made it out after the initial quake, but later rushed back in to save her cat and became trapped when the building shifted during an aftershock.

First responders later found her pinned under a collapsed column with no vital signs, and she was subsequently pronounced dead.

An excavator demolishes the Uranus building on April 13. CNA photo April 13, 2024

Non-stop demolition work started two days after the earthquake and was halted several times to rescue chickens and pets from the building, including Kang's cat.

Support beams were also used during demolition work, as the building tilted even more after hundreds of aftershocks.

Kang's cat is seen in the partially collapsed Uranus building on April 13. It was rescued by workers at around 2 p.m. that day. Photo courtesy of a private contributor

Workers enter the building on April 13 to search for an orange cat, which was later confirmed to be Kang's. CNA photo April 13, 2024

According to Chang Shih-chia (張世佳), head of the Water Resources Section of the Hualien Economic Affairs Department, traffic controls in the surrounding area are expected to be eased on Friday.

Meanwhile, demolition work on several other buildings in Hualien is still in progress.