Sudden inferno at Taiwan water park injures hundreds
TAIPEI, Taiwan - A fire on a music stage spread into a crowd of spectators at a party Saturday night at a Taiwan water park, injuring about 500 people, including nearly 200 in serious condition, authorities said.
The fire was sparked by an accidental explosion of an unknown powder that was fired from a stage in front of about 1,000 people, said Wang Wei-sheng, a liaison with the New Taipei City fire department command center.
A total of 519 people were injured by the fire at the Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City, according to a statement from the city government's health bureau. It said that 419 remained hospitalized on Sunday afternoon, about half of whom were seriously injured, including 184 in intensive care.
Apart from Taiwanese, the victims were four people from Hong Kong, two from the Chinese mainland and one each from Macau, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. The nationalities of three other foreigners were not given.
The fire erupted at the Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City near the island's capital and was quickly brought under control.
Video showed rescue workers and bystanders carrying burned and injured people on their backs, in inflatable boats and on stretchers to get medical treatment.
CNA reported witnesses as saying the fire spread quickly after the colored powder was blown into the air.
It wasn't clear if the colored powder was part of a performance. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
The event manager and several park employees were detained and questioned after the incident, the BBC reports. There are also reports of at least one person arrested for looting among the victims.
Taiwan News reports the the company owner in charge of the show, Lu Chung-ji, offered a public apology following the incident, and said he takes responsibility.
President Ma Ying-jeou visited burns victims at a hospital in Taipei on Sunday afternoon and said authorities would do their best to ensure victims receive "the best medical care" and find out who was responsible for the "tragic incident."