The Health Bureau (SSM) confirmed in a statement early today that the local two-year-old girl who sustained a serious head injury in a gas explosion at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store in Central Taiwan last month, passed away on Friday. The bureau stated that “after obtaining consent from the family, we are now officially announcing that the local girl who was injured in the gas explosion incident in Taichung passed away at the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre on the 7th of this month”. The statement noted that the bureau expresses deep sadness over the girl’s death, while extending heartfelt condolences to her family. The statement also emphasised that psychological support and counselling have been provided to the family, with timely follow-up on their needs. The girl, surnamed Tang, sustained a severe head injury caused by falling objects from a gas explosion incident at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store while visiting Taichung with her family of seven. She remained in a coma while receiving treatment at the hospital. At the end of last month, after arrangements were made by her family, she was transported back to Macau by a medical charter flight from Taichung and received treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre.
Her grandfather, a retired policeman, was killed on the spot, while her grandmother died soon afterwards in hospital in Taichung. Her mother, great grandmother, father and uncle were injured in the incident.
