Three senior Greater Taichung officials have offered to resign over a deadly nightclub blaze amid heavy criticism of the local administration’s safety inspections of the venue.
Greater Taichung Deputy Mayor Hsiao Chia-chi (蕭家旗), Economic Development Department chief Chu Hui-lan (朱蕙蘭) and Urban Development Department chief Huang Chong-dian (黃崇典) offered their verbal resignations on Sunday and written ones on Monday, Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) said yesterday.
Hu said he would wait for the results of an investigation before deciding whether to accept the resignations.
Hu has been under mounting pressure to take political responsibility for the fire — the result of a fire-juggling act that went wrong.
The nightclub had passed 21 safety inspections over the past five years despite having flammable foam in its ceiling and walls and difficult-to-access emergency exits.
Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) rebutted remarks by the Greater Taichung Government that the ministry had approved nightclubs in residential areas.
As to why the Greater Taichung Government had allowed a nightclub to open in a residential area, Hsiao said the city government had asked the ministry to define the term “bar,” as the law prohibits bars in residential areas.
In its reply, the ministry said food and beverage establishments under a certain size could be opened in residential areas, but not bars.
However, the ministry said that “whether an establishment which sells alcoholic beverages is a food and beverage establishment [or an alcoholic beverage establishment] is for the city government to decide, based on relevant laws.”
“We interpreted the ministry’s reply as saying that it’s up to us to decide whether an establishment selling alcohol is the same as an establishment selling food,” Hsiao said. “Based on the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ definition, an ‘alcoholic beverage establishment’ is one with hostess service, while one selling alcoholic beverages without hostess service is a food and beverage establishment.”
Jiang said the city government had misinterpreted laws and the ministry’s response to its question two years ago.
“We ask local governments to define whether an establishment is a bar or a restaurant, because local governments have to make the decision based on the conditions of the establishment,” Jiang said. “Basically, an establishment that mainly sells food is a restaurant even if it also serves alcoholic beverages, but one that mainly sells alcohol is an alcoholic beverage establishment.”
The minister said the ALA nightclub “was more akin to a bar.”
Jiang said the ministry would amend the Fire Service Act (消防法) to prohibit performances using fire at bars, nightclubs, or restaurants, and conduct an inspection of all nightclubs and bars in the country, to see if they are officially registered as other establishments.
“We’ve learned a lesson from this tragic event and hope to take the opportunity to make changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future,” Jiang said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said the resignations did not address the root cause of the problem.
“The resignations are no longer the major issue. The most important issue is whether Hu can give residents a clear explanation about … who was responsible,” DPP spokesperson Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said.
Lin said Hu owed an explanation Taichung residents as to how the tragedy occurred and whether it resulted from official negligence.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VINCENT Y. CHAO
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