Sprinklers, alarms turned off before Taipei KTV fire

台北KTV火災前噴水器，警報器已被關閉

3 arrested after fire protection systems found to have been deactivated before fire broke out in Taipei KTV


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After a fire in a KTV bar claimed the lives of five and injured 54 others in central Taipei on Sunday (April 26), three employees have been arrested after fire protection systems were found to have been switched off.

According to an initial investigation, the blaze is believed to have started in a storeroom shortly before 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning on the fifth floor of Cashbox Partyworld KTV on Linsen North Road in Taipei's Zhongshan District. Wang Cheng-hsiung (王證雄), head of the fire department's third district headquarters,( 王正雄 ), said that the floor was being renovated and the sprinklers, smoke detectors, smoke exhaust system, and internal broadcasting system on that level had all been switched off, representing "serious human negligence," reported SET News.

Wang said that because the smoke detectors failed to sound off, many people singing in their private rooms were unaware a fire had broken out. By the time they realized that there was a fire, dense smoke had already filled the building, making escape much more difficult and increasing the odds of fatal smoke inhalation.

Cashbox Partyworld claimed that the branch's fire protection equipment had just been inspected on March 30. However, although it had applied for permission from the Building Administration Office on Jan. 18 to carry out the renovation, it failed to notify the fire department, said Wang.

Wang said that when fire inspectors were examining the building's fire protection equipment, they noticed that work was also being carried out on an elevator. Wang said that inspectors told staff at the time that a permit was also required before such a project but that they had never received an application.

Wang reiterated that this was negligent behavior and said that the relevant individuals at the KTV business will be held responsible. Thus far, three employees have been arrested in connection with the fire, and each has been released after posting NT$250,000 (US$8,300) bails, reported CNA.

Those arrested included a female assistant manager surnamed Chang (張), a male assistant manager surnamed Chen (陳), and a male employee surnamed Huang (黃) who was responsible for the elevator renovation project. The three are being investigated by prosecutors for violating the Fire Services Act (消防法), committing Offenses Against Public Safety (公共危險罪), and negligent homicide (過失致死罪).