Second person dies in Taiwan water park fire
TAIPEI — The death toll from a blaze at a Taiwan water park party over the weekend rose to two today (July 2), with more than 200 injured still in intensive care.
Police investigators inspect the stage area after an accidental explosion during a music concert at the Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City, Taiwan, early Sunday, June 28, 2015. Photo: AP
TAIPEI — The death toll from a blaze at a Taiwan water park party over the weekend rose to two today (July 2), with more than 200 injured still in intensive care.
Taiwan’s Central News Agency said 19-year-old college student Liu Chih-wei died early in the morning after suffering burns over 90 per cent of his body. A 20-year-old woman died on Monday after suffering similar injuries when colored powder sprayed from a stage caught fire at the party on Saturday night.
The report said Liu had been a design student at the College of Maritime Technology in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei.
Investigators are looking into whether a spark might have triggered the explosion of colored corn powder thrown into the dancing crowd at the Formosa Water Park along the island’s west coast on the outskirts of Taipei.
Among the injured was Alex Haas, 26, of New Hampshire in the United States, who also suffered burns to his lungs and over 90 percent of his body.
Taiwan has since banned the use of flammable powders at all public activities. AP
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