Ongoing Air Quality Monitoring and Full Cooperation with the Investigation
Release Time: July 14, 2025, 16:30
Kaohsiung, July 14, 2025 – At approximately 5:00 a.m. today (14th), a fire broke out at MQE’s battery plant in the Xiaogang District of Kaohsiung City. The Kaohsiung City Fire Department received the emergency call at 5:04 a.m. The fire originated in a semi-finished battery testing area within the facility. MQE expresses its deepest apologies for the disturbance and concern this incident has caused the community and the public.
A total of 12 employees and 3 firefighters sustained minor injuries during the incident. Among them, 11 MQE employees, both Taiwanese and foreign, suffered abrasions or minor injuries during evacuation or rescue efforts. All have received medical attention and safely returned home. One contractor is still under observation at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital due to dizziness. The company has also sent representatives to the fire department to express concern for the injured firefighters. As the firefighters had already returned home to rest, the message was conveyed through their unit supervisors.
Regarding public concerns about air quality, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has commissioned the Toxic Chemical Disaster Response Center at National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology to conduct ongoing air quality monitoring in the facility and surrounding Linhai Industrial Zone. As of 4:30 p.m. today, no abnormal data has been detected at any monitoring point around the site, except for a trace amount of hydrogen fluoride measured near the fire scene around 10:00 a.m. MQE clarifies that the semi-finished or finished battery products in the facility, even under high temperatures, do not generate hydrogen fluoride. The trace detected was likely due to residual fluorinated electrolyte vaporizing from transport piping shortly after the fire started. This was detected briefly within the facility and did not spread to surrounding areas.
The EPA and Industrial Park Administration have set up temporary monitoring stations and plan to continue environmental monitoring for the next three days to ensure safety in the area. MQE emphasizes that all official government announcements will take precedence, and the company will fully cooperate with all relevant authorities in their investigation.
Although visible flames have been extinguished, MQE’s emergency team and Kaohsiung Fire Department personnel remain on site with caution, working to control residual heat and stay on alert to eliminate any potential risks. The company immediately activated its internal emergency response mechanism and will continue to assist with follow-up investigations and environmental monitoring. Representatives have also begun briefing community leaders in surrounding neighborhoods.
MQE confirms that the materials stored at the fire’s origin are fully complied with all regulatory standards. No miscellaneous or flammable items were stored on-site. The company holds comprehensive insurance coverage and is actively assessing the damage caused by the incident.
MQE expresses sincere gratitude to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Kaohsiung, as well as officials from the Fire Department, Environmental Protection Bureau, Labor Bureau, Information Bureau, and Xiaogang District Office, for promptly arriving at the scene to oversee the situation and offer support. To protect employee health and safety, a special task force has been formed to provide care and support for affected personnel, including necessary health checkups. All employees have been notified that they are not required to report to work for the next three days, during which their salaries will remain unaffected and paid in full.
MQE, a key subsidiary of TCC Group, is the home of Taiwan’s first Gigafactory. It’s the second factory of Molicel, a leading Taiwanese battery cell manufacturer and the only supplier integrated into the global high-end cell supply chain. Molicel provides cells for hyper cars, electric motorcycles, and drones. While the incident has affected certain aspects of production, Molicel states that some shipments can be flexibly supported by its Tainan facility and that they are actively communicating with all customers to minimize the impact.
