Tsontai Food Chairman Yu Kuo-chi Dies in Hualien Bridge Crash

This traffic tragedy, which has shocked the local community, occurred on a key stretch of road within Hualien County. According to preliminary investigations by police and fire departments, Yu Guoji, chairman of Zongtai Food Co., Ltd., was driving a private passenger car alone on County Road 193 in Hualien County, traveling from south to north. As the vehicle passed the section near the Guanglong Bridge in Xincheng Township, it suddenly lost control for unknown reasons. The car smashed through the bridge’s guardrail and plunged from the height into the dry or partially flowing riverbed and surrounding vegetation below. The massive impact and the scene of the accident drew the attention of passing motorists, who immediately reported the incident to authorities. Upon receiving the report, the Hualien County Fire Department quickly dispatched multiple ambulances and a large number of firefighters and search-and-rescue personnel to the scene.

When rescue workers arrived, they found the private car severely twisted and deformed due to the intense impact. The front and body of the vehicle were heavily dented and cracked, with parts scattered across the ground, indicating the tremendous force of the collision as it breached the guardrail and fell. Firefighters immediately used cutting equipment to breach the vehicle and conduct rescue operations, extracting the driver who was trapped inside and had already lost vital signs. A preliminary examination confirmed that the driver was Yu Guoji, the chairman of Zongtai Food. Paramedics administered emergency medical treatments, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, at the scene and rushed him to a nearby hospital for further care. However, due to the severity of his injuries, he was pronounced dead despite the medical team’s best efforts, leaving family members and relatives who arrived at the hospital in deep grief.

The road and bridge section where the accident occurred are integral parts of the transportation network in the Hualien region. County Road 193 has long been one of the major north-south arteries in Hualien County, passing through numerous townships. It serves not only as a vital route for local residents’ daily commutes and the transport of agricultural and specialty products but is also a popular choice for tourists exploring the scenic beauty of Hualien. The section around the Guanglong Bridge is largely surrounded by open areas or industrial hinterlands. While traffic volume is not at its peak during certain periods, vehicles often travel at higher speeds. As details regarding the weather conditions, visibility, and the driver’s physical condition at the time of the accident remain to be clarified, this car crash has once again drawn significant public attention to the safety of traffic facilities, the strength of guardrail protection, and overall driving safety on this stretch of road.

For the local business community, this accident has taken the life of a landmark corporate leader, serving as a heavy shock. Yu Guoji led Zongtai Food, a well-known and sizable food enterprise that has been deeply rooted in Hualien for many years. The company has long focused on the research, development, production, and sales of local specialty souvenirs, combining Hualien’s agricultural and specialty products with modern food processing technologies to promote them to markets across Taiwan and even overseas. It has played an indispensable role in driving local economic development, creating employment opportunities, and shaping Hualien’s tourism image. The sudden death of the chairman in a car accident has left Zongtai Food facing an unexpected leadership vacuum and operational transition challenges, prompting condolences and sorrow from the local industrial and commercial sectors.

Following the accident, the Traffic Police Unit of the Hualien County Police Department and the local police station immediately cordoned off the scene, and forensic investigators conducted detailed evidence collection. In addition to scientifically reconstructing the incident based on the vehicle’s damage, brake marks, and impact points, police are reviewing surveillance footage and dashcam recordings along the route to fully reconstruct the vehicle’s trajectory in the seconds before the crash. Police have also requested a prosecutor to conduct an autopsy and are performing blood alcohol concentration tests and other necessary medical examinations on the deceased to thoroughly determine the exact cause of this single-vehicle bridge-fall accident. The subsequent legal proceedings and traffic safety reviews remain pending further investigation and explanation by relevant authorities.