Water Park Explosion Case Concluded and Event Organizer Charged
What you need to know
Prosecutors say that there wasn’t a breakdown of electric or lighting devices. Nine people were accused, but only the event organizer, Lu Chung-chi (also manager of Play Color Co.), was prosecuted for negligence that led to death and injury and offenses against public safety.
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The Formosa Water Park explosion has led to 12 dead, 487 injured, 21 people in intensive care and ten people in critical conditions. After 111 days of investigation, the Shi-Lin District Prosecutors Office concluded the investigation on October 16. The office held a press conference explaining the prosecution of the event organizer Lu Chung-chi, manager of Play Color Co.
UDN reports, the investigation finds that the point of ignition was the stage lights on the right side of stage 2. When the powder was sprayed, it was exposed to the heat of the lights and triggered a blast, causing the fire catastrophe and a large number of casualties.
NOWnews reports, prosecutors say that there wasn’t a breakdown of electric or lighting devices. Nine people were accused, but only Lu was prosecuted for negligence that led to death and injury and offenses against public safety.
Eight people weren’t prosecuted due to lack of evidence, including Chiu Po-ming (hardware technician), Liao Chun-ming(special effects technician), Chen Po-ting (Formosa Fun Coast Chairman), Chen Hui-ying (Formosa Fun Coast General Manager), Lin Yu-fen (administrative director), Chou Hung-Wei (Juipo International Marketing Co-manager), Shen Hao-jan and Lu Chien-yu (workers responsible for spraying the powder).
Apple Daily reports, Lu says, “I get very sad in the middle of the night when I think about the accident." He thinks that it makes no sense to apologize to the families of the victims and will work for the rest of his life as compensation.
In terms of the large amount of money for compensation, Lu says he has been borrowing money from friends and relatives to survive in these past few months. No matter how he was sentenced, Lu knows he cannot afford the compensation, but he will survive to let these families see he is willing to hold responsibility.
Lu says, “I am clear what the environment in Taiwan is like. Someone is bound to be condemned by the public when something happens.” So Lu chooses to bear all responsibility. The outside world is skeptical that he might be escaping responsibility, and Lu says that being gay without a family has led him to live in the present. Lu didn’t earn a lot from holding events in the past and doesn’t have any savings.
Translated by Wen-yee Lee
Edited by Olivia Yang
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