Almost three weeks after a fireball engulfed hundreds of young partygoers, the death toll continues to rise with agonizing slowness as parents keep vigil at their children’s bedsides, willing those who survived to stay alive.
“She almost lost her heartbeat,” said Michael Chu (朱邦宇), father of 18-year-old student Julie Chu (朱利), who suffered burns to more than 70 percent of her body when the inferno scorched through the crowd at the Formosa Fun Coast (八仙海岸) water park on June 27.
“We kept calling her name, telling her not to be taken by the devil and that she had to live on bravely,” Chu said.
Photo: AFP
Around 1,000 revelers had gathered for a Color Play Asia event at the park, which turned into a nightmare when plumes of decorative corn starch being sprayed on the crowd ignited. Amateur footage showed crowds running for their lives, screaming as they were overtaken by flames.
The only parts of Julie’s body that were spared were covered by her two-piece swimsuit.
She is often unconscious due to anesthetics, and faces up to five more rounds of surgery to remove damaged skin, Chu said.
He adds that doctors say it is hard to determine Julie’s fate as every time they operate there is a life-threatening risk of infection.
However, survival brings its own fears for her anguished parents.
“Her life is ruined. She can’t go to school now and won’t be able to have a career. She won’t be able to get married,” her father said. “She has to face the rest of her life like this, to deal with it on her own when we’re no longer around.”
The first victim lived for two days with 90 percent burns before dying.
The death toll yesterday rose to seven after Lin Chi-yun (林芷妘), a 19-year-old college student, succumbed to her injuries and complications, including sepsis, doctors at Taoyuan General Hospital said.
Lin was taken off life support with the consent of her family, the doctors said.
There are fears the number will rise in what medics say is an unprecedented disaster for Taiwan, given the scale and severity of the injuries.
“We and many other hospitals are struggling to keep the severely injured alive,” Tzu Chi Hospital superintendent Chao You-chen (趙有誠) said in Taipei. “This is unprecedented, so many people with such serious burns in one incident. The challenges have been huge.”
Currently, 387 people remain hospitalized, with 199 in critical condition — 21 of whom have burns to more than 80 percent of their bodies. Most of the victims of the fire were between 18 and 25 years old.
There is hope for one father whose 18-year-old daughter escaped with 55 percent burns and is now stable in hospital.
“Her condition is better now but she still has nightmares,” he said, wanting to remain anonymous. “She grips my hand until she falls asleep, asking me not to leave.”
However, even patients who are stable face months of treatment.
“We’ve got to make sure they don’t get infected, that they have good skin graft operations, blood transfusions and sufficient nutrition,” said Chao, whose hospital in Taipei has mobilized 150 staff to care for the victims.
As the agony continues for victims and their loved ones, heartbreaking life or death decisions are being made daily.
One young man, Huang Po-wei (黃博煒), 22, who suffered 95 percent burns, opted this week to have his legs amputated from below the knees.
“He has a strong desire to live,” said plastic surgeon Lin Huang-chi (林煌基), who is treating Huang. “He knew if he did not [have the amputation] he would not survive.”
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Three suspects —Color Play Asia owner Lu Chung-chi (呂忠吉), 41, hardware equipment technician Chiu Po-ming (邱柏銘), 33, and special effects worker Liao Chun-ming (廖俊明), 39 — have been released on bail as prosecutors investigate them on charges of offences against public safety and negligence causing deaths.
Six more are being investigated, including both the chairman and the president of the water park.
Additional reporting by CNA and staff writer
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