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Commissioner under DPP fire after no-show

Taipei City Fire Department Commissioner Hsiung Kuang-hua (熊光華) drew harsh criticism from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors yesterday for failing to arrive at the scene when a fire broke out at National Taiwan University Hospital on Wednesday.

One patient, who was suffering from esophageal cancer and was undergoing surgery, died after the fire.

The fire department dispatched 41 fire trucks shortly after the fire broke out at about 7:20pm, while four precinct directors rushed to the scene to handle the situation.

However, Hsiung and two deputy commissioners did not show up at the scene, DPP councilors said.

DPP Taipei City Councilor Chuang Ruei-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the commissioner was attending a private dinner gathering with Examination Yuan members while firefighters helped put the fire out.

“Where was Hsiung when such a disaster happened in the city? Who was he drinking and eating with during the fire? Why didn’t he leave the dinner and do his job by going to the scene?” Chuang asked at a Taipei City Council press conference yesterday.

DPP Taipei City Councilor Wang Hsiao-wei (王孝維) and Huang Hsiang-chun (黃向群) joined Chuang to condemn Hsiung, and urged Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) to remove Hsiung from his post.

“The incident highlighted the fact that Hau administration officials are getting lazy, and do not do their jobs,” Huang said.

In response, Hsiung declined to confirm his whereabouts on Wednesday night, arguing that the department had handled the incident according to standard protocol.

“We followed SOP [standard operating procedure] in putting down the fire and saving the residents and successfully reduced the damage,” he said.

“The public may have a negative perception of the matter and we will reflect on our handling of the incident,” he said.

The hospital evacuated 800 patients and arranged hospital transfers for 23 patients who had to rely on respirators. The fire was put out at 9:10pm.

Huang read from a copy of the regulations on fire scene management in cities and counties, saying department heads were supposed to serve as the commander at the scene when serious fires occurred.

Bi Yo-ming (畢幼明), director of the department’s dispatch center, said the fire did not exceed Level 3 and therefore Hsiung was not required at the scene.

Bi said he did call Hsiung to report the situation, while acknowledging that he did not suggest that the commissioner should rush to the site.
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