Print

Mail

wiki links

CKS blaze triggers review

With Fire Prevention Regulations (消防法) to be revised to allow for "active management" of sky lantern releases, the Taipei County Government decided yesterday to set up its own guidelines for the management of the activity to minimize the possibility of accidents such as Sunday night's fire at CKS International Airport.

The Taipei County Government is responsible for any such accidents as it has spared no efforts in promoting the traditional Lantern Day festival activity, Deputy County Commissioner Chen Wei-jen (陳威仁) said at a regular meeting of county officials.

Pingsi (平溪) Township has been a center of sky lantern activities, attracting nearly 30,000 people for the event this year.

To preserve the folk ritual, it is crucial for the local government to review measures on organizing such activities and to formulate a set of management guidelines, such as prohibiting people from releasing sky lanterns from the top floors of residential buildings, Chen said.

The airport fire was sparked by two wayward sky lanterns that set a grassy field near a runway ablaze.
This story has been viewed 1802 times.