Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) supervising engineer Pan Tang-yi (潘堂益) and contractor Lee Yi-hsiang (李義祥) yesterday received the heaviest sentences among those charged in Taiwan’s deadliest train crash in 70 years.
Lee was sentenced to seven years and 10 months, while Pan received eight years and 10 months, for their roles in the derailment of a Taroko Express train last year that killed 49 people and injured 200.
Also convicted by the Hualien District Court were construction superintendent Lee Chin-fu (李進福) and labor inspector Chang Chi Fu-tsai (張齊富財), both employed by engineering contractor United Geotech Inc (聯合大地工程), on charges of negligence causing death. They received seven years and two months, and six years and four months respectively.
Photo: Wang Chin-yi, Taipei Times
CYL Engineering Consulting (中棪工程顧) supervisor Kuo Kuo-chen (郭國振) received four years and two months, also for negligence causing death.
Found not guilty was Vietnamese migrant worker Hoa Van Hao, assistant to Lee Yi-hsiang, who was charged with negligence in vehicle transport safety.
Hualien prosecutors said they would appeal what they consider a lenient term for Lee Yi-hsiang, who they said deserved a longer sentence for fleeing the scene of the incident.
Hoa’s not guilty verdict would also be appealed, they added.
Lawyers representing the people killed in the crash and their families said the defendants should have been charged with homicide rather than negligence causing death, adding they would also push for appeals of the sentences.
The crash occurred on April 2 last year after a crane truck at a construction site above southbound railway tracks in eastern Taiwan rolled onto the tracks by the entrance to the Cingshuei Tunnel in Sioulin Township (秀林) before being hit by an approaching express train about two minutes later.
A relative of a victim surnamed Chen (陳) said that Lee Yi-hsiang or his assistant could have done something in that time to prevent the crash.
Local media reported that they did not try to notify the TRA before the express train crashed.
“We cannot accept such lenient sentences,” the relative said. “We believe that the public also feel the same way.”
Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said he completely understands how the families feel, but would respect the court’s ruling.
Safety lapses have occurred on TRA construction sites too many times, and the TRA must reform its safety practices, Wang said.
Before coming to rest on the tracks, the crane truck had stalled on a sharp curve on an access road near the slope. When site manager Lee Yi-hsiang, who owns Yi Hsiang Industry (義祥工業社), tried to pull the truck loose using a woven belt, the belt snapped, sending the truck tumbling down the hill and onto the tracks.
The contractors were conducting slope stabilization work on behalf of the TRA.
Investigators alleged that Lee Yi-hsiang had illegally used a business license from Tung Hsin Construction (東新營造). Forged papers and other falsified documents were allegedly involved.
Yi Hsiang Industry allegedly did not have the qualifications or capital to conduct slope stabilization projects, prosecutors said.
Lin Chang-ching (林長清), a supervisor on the site and a business partner at Yi Hsiang Industry, was charged with contravening the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法) and other regulations governing bidding for public projects.
Facing the same indictment were the father-and-son owners of Tung Hsin Construction — Huang Ping-ho (黃平和) and Huang Wen-li (黃文利).
Huang Ping-ho received a sentence of two years and six months, while his son received 10 months.
Their company’s NT$3.37 million (US$107,291) profit from the project was confiscated, and a fine of NT$1 million was imposed.
Lin received a sentence of two years and eight months, along with a fine of NT$500,000.
Additional reporting by CNA
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