Tunghsing Building
{{Short description|Building in Taiwan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
Tunghsing Building or Dongxing Building ({{lang-zh|t=東星大樓|p=Dōngxīng Dàlóu|link=no}}, {{literal|East Star Building}}) is the name of two buildings at the same place in Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. The original building was destroyed by the 1999 Jiji earthquake. It was the only building in Taipei to be completely destroyed by the quake, with all 87 Taipei fatalities residents of the building.
A new building on the same site was opened on August 29, 2009.
First building
File:Tonshin Building collapsed after 921 earthquake.jpg
The original Tunghsing Building was a 12-story building started in 1982 and completed in 1984, with two underground stories.{{Cite news |date=September 22, 2022 |title=慘劇／921北市震度4級…八德路「東星大樓」應聲倒 「87人遭活埋」重建現況曝 |url=https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E6%85%98%E5%8A%87-921%E5%8C%97%E5%B8%82%E9%9C%87%E5%BA%A64%E7%B4%9A-%E5%85%AB%E5%BE%B7%E8%B7%AF-%E6%9D%B1%E6%98%9F%E5%A4%A7%E6%A8%93-%E6%87%89%E8%81%B2%E5%80%92-230000609.html |access-date=August 26, 2024 |language=zh-Hant-TW |last=Chen |first=Hsieh |archive-date=August 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826093622/https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E6%85%98%E5%8A%87-921%E5%8C%97%E5%B8%82%E9%9C%87%E5%BA%A64%E7%B4%9A-%E5%85%AB%E5%BE%B7%E8%B7%AF-%E6%9D%B1%E6%98%9F%E5%A4%A7%E6%A8%93-%E6%87%89%E8%81%B2%E5%80%92-230000609.html |url-status=live }} The architect was Chang Tung-Hsin (張宗炘).{{Cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Yen-ting |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |date=October 4, 2014 |title=Court orders 921 quake payment |work=Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/10/04/2003601218 |access-date=August 12, 2022 |archive-date=August 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826094453/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/10/04/2003601218 |url-status=live }} It was a mixed-use building including a bank, apartments, and a hotel,{{Cite journal |last1=Chang |first1=Chia-Ming |last2=Lee |first2=Li-Ching |last3=Connor |first3=Kathryn M. |last4=Davidson |first4=Jonathan R. T. |last5=Jeffries |first5=Keith |last6=Lai |first6=Te-Jen |date=June 2003 |title=Posttraumatic Distress and Coping Strategies among Rescue Workers after an Earthquake |url=https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Abstract/2003/06000/Posttraumatic_Distress_and_Coping_Strategies_among.7.aspx |journal=The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease |language=en-US |volume=191 |issue=6 |pages=391–398 |doi=10.1097/01.NMD.0000071588.73571.3D |pmid=12826921 |issn=0022-3018 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223213427/https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Abstract/2003/06000/Posttraumatic_Distress_and_Coping_Strategies_among.7.aspx |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }} the Sungshan Hotel (松山賓館).{{Cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/1999/09/22/3502 |title=Quake of the century |work=Taipei Times |access-date=March 4, 2020 |date=September 22, 1999 |last1=Hsu |first1=Brian |last2=Ide |first2=William |archive-date=August 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817085716/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/1999/09/22/3502 |url-status=live }} Some later media reports assumed the entire building was the Sungshan Hotel.{{Cite news |last=Usborne |first=David |date=September 22, 1999 |title=Taiwan Earthquake: Gawpers stop and stare at a tragedy that is yet unfinished |language=en |work=The Independent |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/taiwan-earthquake-gawpers-stop-and-stare-at-a-tragedy-that-is-yet-unfinished-1120970.html |access-date=September 15, 2020 |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223214510/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/taiwan-earthquake-gawpers-stop-and-stare-at-a-tragedy-that-is-yet-unfinished-1120970.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Kifner |first=John |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/21/world/taiwan-quake-kills-hundreds-thousands-trapped-or-injured.html |title=Taiwan Quake Kills Hundreds; Thousands Trapped or Injured |date=September 21, 1999 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 23, 2020 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921105406/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/21/world/taiwan-quake-kills-hundreds-thousands-trapped-or-injured.html |url-status=live }} The first two stories were occupied by a branch of {{Interlanguage link multi|First Commercial Bank (Taiwan)|zh|3=第一商業銀行|lt=First Commercial Bank}}.
On September 21, 1999, at 1:47{{nbsp}}am local time, Taiwan was struck by the 1999 Jiji earthquake.{{Cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/08/31/2003452450 |title=FEATURE: Tunghsing Building rebuilt but losses, anger linger |access-date=January 12, 2020 |last=Mo |first=Yan-chih |date=August 31, 2009 |work=Taipei Times |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921105515/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/08/31/2003452450 |url-status=live }} The Tunghsing Building was completely destroyed although most buildings near it were undamaged. It was the only building in Taipei to be completely destroyed by the quake, and all 87 Taipei fatalities were residents of the building.{{Cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/09/20/54129 |title=921 rescue teams get city welcome |access-date=September 15, 2020 |last=Ko |first=Shu-ling |date=September 20, 2000 |work=Taipei Times |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828162157/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/09/20/54129 |url-status=live }} After the bottom stories folded, the rest of the building collapsed and fell, crushing the nearby Haomen building (豪門世家).{{Cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/rescue/archives/1999/09/22/0000003509 |title=Dozens still trapped beneath the hotel rubble |work=Taipei Times |access-date=February 23, 2020 |last=Chu |first=Monique |date=September 22, 1999 |archive-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116101751/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/rescue/archives/1999/09/22/0000003509 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=August 16, 2000 |last=Ko |first=Shu-ling |title=Taipei's 921 earthquake expenses total NT$326m |work=Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/08/16/0000047991 |access-date=August 16, 2022 |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921105407/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/08/16/0000047991 |url-status=live }} A fire from a gas leak was doused with water. Over 100 people were rescued from the wreckage. The two brothers Sun Chi-kuang and Sun Chi-fong were rescued from the rubble almost 130 hours after the earthquake, having survived by eating rotten apples and drinking their own urine.{{Cite news |last=Chu |first=Monique |date=September 27, 1999 |title=Tunghsing rescue arouses hopes |work=Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/1999/09/27/0000004163 |access-date=September 15, 2020 |archive-date=September 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916055744/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/1999/09/27/0000004163 |url-status=live }} Several of their family members died in the disaster.{{Cite news |date=September 21, 2009 |title=REMEMBERING 921: FEATURE: 'Miracle' brothers forever changed by 921 - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/09/21/2003454085 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921105407/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/09/21/2003454085 |url-status=live }} The building's collapse made more than 250 people homeless.{{Cite news |date=April 30, 2002 |title=City ordered to pay quake victims - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/04/30/0000133928 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828152944/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/04/30/0000133928 |url-status=live }}
Court cases and compensation
After the collapse of the building, several lawsuits were filed and accusations made. In November 1999, five people including KMT lawmaker {{ill|Hsieh Lung-sheng|zh|謝隆盛}} were charged with negligence related to poor construction.{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-09-mn-31591-story.html |title=Five Indicted in Collapse of Hotel |date=November 9, 1999 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921105458/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-09-mn-31591-story.html |url-status=live }} Residents accused the management of {{ill|Hung Kuo Group|zh|宏國關係事業}} of inadequate design of the building and asked for NT$2.5 billion compensation. Hung Kuo group denied being involved in the construction and stated that they had taken over the construction company Hung Gu Construction (鴻固營造) only after the design was completed.{{Cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/11/05/0000059978 |title=Tunghsing Building residents file suit - Taipei Times |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223215226/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/11/05/0000059978 |url-status=live }} A difficulty in assessing the case was that building codes were not yet well developed at the time of construction.{{Cite news |date=September 21, 2000 |title=Quake crimes - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/921/archives/2000/09/21/0000054317 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |last=Jou |first=Ying-cheng |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828100807/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/921/archives/2000/09/21/0000054317 |url-status=live }} The case was finally decided by the Supreme Court on October 3, 2014, with an award of NT$330 million to the residents. As the defendants involved were either dead or companies who had no assets, the residents were unlikely to receive any payout. The cause of the collapse was determined to be a design flaw due to underestimating the building's weight by 18 percent.{{Cite news |date=October 4, 2014 |title=Court orders 921 quake payment - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/10/04/2003601218 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828162158/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/10/04/2003601218 |url-status=live }}
Residents also sued the Taipei city government for compensation. In 2002, they won a district court ruling awarding them approximately NT$480 million. After appeals, a High Court ruling awarded a total of NT$330 million due to the city officials' negligence in supervising the building's construction. While the National Compensation Law only came in force shortly after the building's construction permit was issued in 1981, the court found that the Civil Code provided for compensation.{{Cite news |date=April 30, 2005 |title=Taipei must pay damages - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/04/30/2003252542 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828154631/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/04/30/2003252542 |url-status=live }} The legal process was finally completed with an out-of-court settlement for NT$120 million in 2007.
New building
File:Rebuild Tonshin Building 20161126.jpg, Taipei, Taiwan ({{lang|zh|臺北市松山區八德路四段660號}}) in 2016]]
Construction of a new building in the same place was begun in 2004, suspended in 2006 and 2008 because of financial issues faced by the first two contractors assigned to the project, and finally finished in 2009 by a third contractor.{{Cite news |date=August 30, 2009 |title=Toppled on 921, Tunghsing Building is back on its feet - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/08/30/2003452364 |access-date=August 28, 2024 }} The new building was opened on August 29, 2009. At the time, more than 70 out of 84 displaced households were preparing to return.
References
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{{Coord|25|2|59|N|121|34|33|E|display=title}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Taipei
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2009