Public prosecutors conducting an investigation into the fire disaster at the Formosa Fun Coast (八仙海岸) water park in New Taipei City’s Bali District (八里) yesterday summoned several key figures for questioning, while the New Taipei City Government has applied for temporary seizure of assets against the event organizer and management of the water park.
The Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office in Taipei City summoned Formosa Fun Coast general manager Chen Hui-ying (陳慧穎) and administrative director Lin Yu-fen (林玉芬) for questioning yesterday afternoon.
They were being questioned as witnesses in the judicial investigation, and refused to respond to media queries as they left the prosecutors’ office at about 4:40pm.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Chen had earlier told investigators that the water park leased the venue to the operator of the “Color Play Asia” event, and that safety violation and crowd-control issues were the responsibility of the operator.
Prosecutors said they are looking to press charges for offenses against public safety and negligence for the explosion and ensuing fire that led to burns and injuries to 494 people on Saturday evening, and need to determine responsibility and roles played by the water park management, the event operator Lu Chung-chi (呂忠吉) and Lu’s employees working at the event.
Lu, along with his company’s special effect technician Liao Chun-ming (廖俊明) and equipment operator Chiu Po-ming (邱柏銘) were questioned on Monday by investigators at the Luzhou District Police Station in New Taipei City.
TV personality Julie Tsai (蔡玓彤), who was the DJ at the event, was summoned for questioning at the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday, with some witnesses alleging that Tsai was seen smoking a cigarette on stage shortly before the dust explosion occurred.
Tsai said she did not smoke during the event, but she did see event staff smoking at the time, adding that the witnesses must have mistaken her for one of them.
The New Taipei City Government has put in applications at the local court for a temporary seizure of the assets of Formosa Fun Coast and Lu’s marketing company.
New Taipei City’s Legal Affairs Department head Huang Yi-teng (黃怡騰) said the move was to protect the rights of the victims, to press for compensation, adding that provisional funding would be disbursed to victims and their families for medical expenses.
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