6 executives indicted over Pingtung factory fire that killed 10

Taipei, Jan. 29 (CNA) Launch Technologies Co. Chairman Liu An-hao (劉安皓) and five other executives have been charged with negligent homicide over the deaths of 10 people in a Sept. 22, 2023 factory fire, Pingtung District Prosecutors Office said Monday.

Launch Technologies was earlier fined NT$2.4 million (US$76,820) for failing to fully disclose the contents of the golf ball factory in Pingtung, including nearly 3,000 kilograms of illegally stored organic peroxides.

Among those killed by the blaze and subsequent explosions were four firefighters, who were not provided the necessary rescue information by Launch Technologies, according to investigators.

Launch Technologies also failed to assign a person to the site to assist the fire commander in accordance with the law, investigators said.

In a statement, the Pingtung County Prosecutors Office said that Liu along with Launch Technologies' General Manager Lu Ying-cheng (呂英誠), and the company's assistant vice president, surnamed Cheng (鄭) had been indicted on charges including causing death and injury by negligence.

Liu, Lu, and Cheng have been ordered to post bail of NT$6 million, NT$5 million and NT$4.5 million, respectively, prosecutors said.