Taiwan Water Park Explosion Leads To Horrific Burns And Death: What Went Wrong?
A nightmarish explosion at a Taiwan water park has left nearly 500 people injured and one victim dead. In the aftermath of this horrific event, many are struggling for answers as what led to this tragic outcome.
According to reports, the water park explosion occurred at Formosa Fun Coast in New Taipei City, Taiwan. It was Saturday evening, and a music festival was in full swing. Approximately 1,000 people had turned up for the “Color Play Asia.” Attendees coated in colored powder — cornstarch mixed with food coloring. There’s something about this substance that many of the festival attendees didn’t know — it was a highly flammable and explosive under right circumstances.
A dust explosion occurred, generating a huge fireball in the midst of hundreds of people.
Over 43 area hospitals received 498 different victims related to the Taiwan water park explosion. The New York Times reported that 202 people had obtained severe injuries. There were also concerns about smoke inhalation and consequences of breathing in the colored powder.
The worst case was a woman named Li Pei-yun. The woman suffered burns covering 90 percent of her body. The Chung Shan Medical University Hospital told reporters that Li Pei-yun died from her injuries on Monday.
Hospital: Woman died Monday from injuries she sustained in explosion that hit water park in Taiwan over the weekend. http://t.co/dePC00GrsI
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) June 29, 2015
Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has acknowledged that many individuals require skin grafts and plastic surgery. Resources from hospital skin banks and other urgently needed medical supplies are apparently being sent to aid victim care.
With so many injured and at least one death, the full blame for the tragedy in Taiwan has fallen on the shoulders of event organizers. CNN reported that Lu Chung-chi, the man who planned the event, and a second man were arrested. The second unnamed individual handled “lighting and hardware”. The two men were released on bail.
Lu Chung-chi was very remorseful for his role in the accident. He went down on his knees in front of reporters declaring that he would “shoulder ultimate responsibility” for what happened. Despite the arrest by Taipei authorities, the Shilin District prosecutor’s office has yet to charge event organizers with a crime.
Hundreds were being treated in Taiwan on Sunday after powder used at a “color party” ignited. http://t.co/ojm8zSJLKW pic.twitter.com/zlKZCcQYFQ
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) June 29, 2015
The Taiwan water park tragedy may lead others to strongly reconsider the use of colored powder at festivals in the future. Dust explosions, while rare, represent a real danger.
If the company warned the festival organizers at the Taiwan water park Formosa Fun Coast that their product was dangerous before this happened, should these people be charged? Write your thoughts below!
[Image Credit: CNN/YouTube]
