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Protests in Taiwan over color party investigations
VICTIMS of a water park explosion that killed 15 people and left hundreds of others with horrific burns rallied in Taiwan yesterday amid mounting anger that only one person has been jailed over the tragedy.
It is more than a year since the blast at Formosa Fun Coast near Taipei, where clouds of multi-colored corn starch sprayed on revelers at a poolside color party ignited due to heat from stage lights.
Despite an investigation into nine suspects, the only one to be prosecuted was party organizer Lu Chung-chi, who was jailed for four years and 10 months in April for negligence causing death.
The others initially under investigation, including the chairman and president of the park, have not so far been brought to court over the disaster in June 2015.
Earlier this year, prosecutors reopened the investigation following an appeal by victims, but no further indictments have been announced.
Yesterday, survivors and relatives of the dead demanded that local government officials who allowed the event to go ahead should be brought to justice.
No government official has ever been named as part of the investigation.
“We haven’t seen any official step down or punished over the disaster. It’s unacceptable,” said one woman whose daughter was killed.
Victim Joyce Ku, 19, who suffered burns to 80 percent of her body, demanded “justice and truth.”
“The victims are suffering, but no one from the water park or New Taipei City government is facing any consequences,” said Ku.
Victims and relatives of the dead said the local government had allowed the park to operate without proper permits and rent out its premises to the company that organized the color party.
Almost 500 victims, most of them aged between 19 and 25, were injured in the blast.
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