Fire on stage at music concert injures more than 500 at Taiwan water park

TAIPEI, Taiwan – A fire on a music stage spread into a crowd of spectators at a Saturday night party at a Taiwan water park, injuring more than 500 people, including eight in critical condition, authorities said Sunday.

The fire was sparked by an accidental explosion of a colored theatrical powder thrown from the stage in front of about 1,000 people, the fire agency and local media said. The powder for the one-time event called “Color Play Asia” ignited along the ground, mainly burning people’s lower bodies, said Wang Wei-sheng, a liaison with the New Taipei City fire department command centre.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported witnesses as saying the fire at the Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City spread quickly after powder was blown into the air.

Taiwan Premier Mao Chih-kuo announced a ban Sunday on parties that use flammable colored powder.

A total of 516 people were reported to have burn injuries as of about 11 a.m. Sunday, Wang said.

The official injury toll had risen from slightly more than 200 at midnight, because about 300 people had made their own way to hospitals. Eight people had life-threatening injuries, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

The victims included four mainland Chinese and two foreigners. An 18-year-old from Taiwan was burned on 90 per cent of her body.

Central News Agency said that police were questioning two park workers who had launched the powder as well as the party’s on-site organizer and two technicians. They may face charges of professional negligence causing serious injuries and endangering the public, it said.

The exact cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Video showed rescue workers and bystanders carrying burned and injured people on their backs, in inflatable boats and on stretchers to get medical treatment.