Authorities yesterday summoned a number suspects for questioning over their roles in an explosion at Formosa Fun Coast (八仙海岸) water park that injured hundreds last month and are preparing to file charges against three of the company’s senior executives.
The Shihlin District Prosecutors’ Office questioned Lu Chung-chi (呂忠吉), the main organizer of the “Color Play Asia” party at the park in New Taipei City, along with Chiu Po-ming (邱柏銘), director of a multimedia company, who was contracted by Lu to provide sound and equipment services for the event.
Investigators said they wanted to clarify what Lu and Chiu’s instructions were to workers at the event and to verify whether the water park’s employees had provided services and other forms of assistance to the injured.
Photo: CNA
Prosecutors said they had already laid charges against Lu, along with the company’s special effects technician, Liao Chun-ming (廖俊明), and Chiu, the equipment operator.
Chief prosecutor Su Pei-yu (蘇佩鈺) confirmed that a number of victims and their families are planning to sue the operators of Formosa Fun Coast.
Su said that Formosa Fun Coast senior executives — including chairman Chen Po-ting (陳柏廷), general manager Chen Hui-yin (陳慧穎) and administrative director Lin Yu-fen (林玉芬) — have been listed as suspects in the case, and prosecutors are preparing to file charges of criminal negligence once the police wrap up their investigation.
Chen Po-ting was summoned for questioning by the criminal investigation unit at New Taipei City’s Lujhou Police Station at about 10am.
After more than one hour of questioning, Chen Po-ting left the police station.
“We want to apologize for what happened. For the victims and their families, we want to say we are sorry. We will shoulder our share of the responsibility,” he told reporters outside the station.
Police also summoned Chou Hung-wei (周宏瑋) for questioning for the first time.
Chou, the owner of event co-organizer Juipo International Marketing Co, went to Lujhou Police Station yesterday afternoon and was released after questioning.
On behalf of the victims, the New Taipei City Government had filed a court petition for temporary seizure of the assets of Lu’s Play Color Co, Chou’s Juipo International Marketing and Cheng Po-ting’s Formosa Fun Coast — the three companies involved in the explosion that injured 495 people.
However, the Shihlin District Court yesterday only approved the temporary seizure of Chen Po-ting’s assets worth about NT$169 million (US$5.12 million).
The court’s rejection of the petition to seize Lu’s and Chou’s corporate assets has raised a storm of public protests, with many questioning the court’s perceived leniency toward Lu and Chou, while being tough on Formosa Fun Coast, which rented out the venue for the event.
The New Taipei City Government’s Legal Affairs Department released a statement yesterday saying it would file a petition for a dissent to the court’s decision, and reapply for temporary seizure of Lu’s and Chou’s corporate assets.
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