Premier Lai Ching-te on Sunday evening visited the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) to receive a briefing on the derailment of the Puyuma Express No. 6432 and monitor the response to the tragedy. The premier said that immediately following the accident, the Taiwan Railways Administration established a disaster response task force, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications activated the CEOC, in order to coordinate dedicated rescue efforts. Premier Lai instructed concerned ministries and agencies to devote full resources to the emergency and work together with local government authorities to minimize casualties resulting from the derailment.
Ministries and agencies were also directed by the premier to continue with the following measures:
1. The carriages involved in the accident must be removed from the scene as quickly as possible so that rescue operations may be carried out more thoroughly, and unimpeded transportation restored.
2. The Ministry of Justice was instructed to continue assisting the families of the 18 passengers killed in the accident. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) will also continue providing appropriate medical care for another 164 passengers hospitalized for injuries.
3. Traffic and transportation in the area should be restored as swiftly as possible using all means available, including via land, sea and air.
The accident will impact the families and lives of those killed or severely or even lightly injured, the premier said. He directed the MOHW to work closely with local officials to provide active assistance and care to the families of these passengers.