By KHT Staff. Photo courtesy of a member of the public.
KAOHSIUNG — Cardiologist Chu Chih-sheng (朱志生) was heading back to a hospital to care for a patient when his scooter crashed. As he lay injured beside the road, a rider passed without stopping, according to a longtime friend.
Chu, a physician at Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, crashed on Oct. 15 and died the following afternoon. His death has prompted an anguished appeal from his high school friend, surgeon Feng Chi-yen (馮啟彥): if you see someone injured, at least call for help.
In a Facebook post reported by Next Apple News, Feng said he spoke with Chu’s medical team after attending his funeral on Oct. 24. He said surveillance footage showed Chu struggling to stand, walking a short distance and collapsing again. According to Feng’s account, someone subsequently rode past without stopping to assist.
Feng said Chu suffered severe chest trauma resulting in hemopneumothorax, a buildup of blood and air around the lungs. He said he believed earlier treatment could have given his friend a chance to survive and recover. That assessment has not been independently confirmed.
Accounts of the rescue timeline also differ. Feng described a 27-minute interval before Chu was taken to hospital. However, an earlier SET News report carried by Mirror Media quoted the fire bureau saying it received an emergency call at 6:07 p.m. and crews arrived at 6:13 p.m. Nearby footage reportedly showed Chu at an intersection at 6 p.m., before the crash. The report also cautioned that available public surveillance footage could not establish whether passersby had failed to seek help.
The crash occurred on Lane 433, Bo’ai 1st Road (博愛一路433巷), in Gushan District (鼓山區). Reports suggest a cat suddenly entered his path, although the precise circumstances remain subject to investigation.
Chu leaves behind his wife and three children. Feng urged people who encounter an accident to respond, even if they are unwilling or unable to provide hands-on assistance.
At least make the call, he said. In Taiwan, the ambulance emergency number is 119.
