President Ma vows no repeat of Kaohsiung explosions

2014-08-04

President Ma Ying-jeou pledged Aug. 2 that the government would take all necessary actions to ensure disasters such as the Kaohsiung explosions never occur again in Taiwan.

“Underground pipeline systems must be better designed and more effectively monitored so as to minimize risks,” Ma said while visiting the injured and families of victims in the southern port city.

A series of explosions beginning near midnight July 31 killed 28, injured 299 and left at least five missing, including two officials from the local fire department. More than 5,500 members of the armed forces are assisting 832 firefighters with the rescue efforts, while chemical experts continue searching for the cause of the explosions.

According to the Central Emergency Operation Center in New Taipei City, 83,819 people in 32,968 households were affected. A total of 23,600, 2,268 and 6,000 households are without gas, power and water, respectively, in the 2-3 square kilometer blast area.

The local government’s Environment Protection Bureau said Aug. 2 that the explosions may have been triggered by a leaking underground propylene pipeline used by LCY Chemical Corp.

Bowei Lee, chairman of LCY Group, expressed deep regret over the incident Aug. 3. He vowed to fully comply with government investigations, but denied the company was responsible for the explosions.

Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court prosecutors also questioned major local petrochemical companies and China General Terminal and Distribution Corp., a Taipei City-headquartered firm providing warehousing and transporting of petrochemical raw materials.

Communities around Taiwan have responded swiftly to the disaster. Relief supplies are pouring in, with local hotels offering free accommodation to residents left homeless.

Local media reports put donations for the injured, families of the victims and Kaohsiung City Government at over NT$1 billion (US$33.3 million) and rising.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=220250&ctNode=445)