Former National Communications Commission (NCC) official Joseph Chiao (喬建中) and four members of his hiking party were yesterday found guilty of causing a major fire in 2021 that ravaged more than 70 hectares of Yushan National Park.
The Nantou District Court sentenced Chiao and another hiker, surnamed Chung (鍾), to a total of 12 months in prison each for two offenses: a six-month term for theft of forestry products in a national park in contravention of the Forestry Act (森林法), and another six-month term for cooking and starting a fire, which took 12 days to extinguish.
The court also fined both men NT$600,000 (US$18,770) each.
Photo courtesy of the Chiayi Forest District Office via CNA
The two men are facing a separate civil lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Agriculture, which is seeking NT$288 million in compensation for damage to the forest and national park facilities, and expenses to put out the blaze.
The three other members of the hiking party — surnamed Chu (朱), Wu (吳) and Peng (彭) — were each sentenced to two to four months in prison for their roles in contributing to the fire.
The sentences can be commuted to fines.
Chiao was the leader of the five-member party, who arrived at Yushan National Park on May 15, 2021.
Chung gathered dried branches and kindling, and used a handsaw to cut Taiwan juniper and other hardwood trees into several pieces, while Chu helped to carry the wood to the camp site, the ruling said.
The five went to sleep without checking to see if the fire had been extinguished, the ruling said.
Chiao did not immediately call the 119 emergency line, resulting in a delay in rescue efforts and resulting in the fire that raged for 12 days, it said.
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