Emergency rescue workers and concert spectators tend to injured victims from an explosion during a music concert at the Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Saturday, June 27, 2015. The New Taipei City fire department says 200 people were injured in an accidental explosion of colored theatrical powder Saturday night near a performance stage where about 1,000 people were gathered for party. (AP Photo)
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Investigators in Taiwan were focusing yesterday on the possibility that a cigarette butt or spark caused the blaze that burned 498 people at a weekend water park party when colored powder sprayed from the stage caught fire.
More than 400 people remained hospitalized, including 202 in serious condition, city officials said. Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported one death, a 20-year-old woman with burns to 90 percent of her body who was taken off life support with her family’s consent. It said her 12-year-old brother also had burns on 90 percent of his body.
Police recommended criminal charges against the organizer of Saturday’s party, as well as two technicians, at the Formosa Fun Coast theme park in suburban Taipei.
“It’s still not clear what happened, but there were a number of people smoking and the weather was warm,” New Taipei City news department head Lin Chieh-yu said. Temperatures around greater Taipei topped 36 degrees Celsius before the party.
The three tons of colored starch-based powder bought by the organizers from Tai Won, a seller in the island’s southern county of Yunlin, were flammable, said Chou Hui-fang, a representative of the seller. She said the buyer was informed about the risk of fire.
“Whether it’s corn ‘starch or flour starch, this kind of stuff, no matter how long it’s been around, if it’s in dense quantities and if it’s hot, it can catch fire,” Chou said. She said her 4-year-old company has been questioned by police and health officials but was not considered at fault.
“We didn’t know what the buyers were going to do with it or how much they would use,” she said. “It might have been supplies for a whole year.”
Taiwan Premier Mao Chi-kuo on Sunday banned use of the powder at future private events. Colored powder is often thrown on revelers during the annual Holi celebrations in India and Nepal, a Hindu festival. The powder at Saturday’s party was made in Taiwan, Chou said.
The water park was ordered to close after the fire.
Taiwan police recommended charges of professional neglect and public endangerment for party organizer Lu Chung-chi, who was arrested but released on bail of 1 million Taiwan dollars and restricted from leaving the island, a New Taipei City police spokesman said./AP