Firm responsible for worker's death must be held accountable: Taipei mayor

Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) has pledged to hold a company accountable over negligence that allegedly resulted in an accident that killed a worker who was helping set up the stage for New Year's Eve performances outside Taipei City Hall.

Chiang made the pledge Saturday when asked for comment on the death of Lawai Arik, the deceased worker, who was also the lead singer of the rock band Ark of Redemption.

Chiang said the city government will see to it that the company commissioned to set up the stage takes full responsibility for the mishap, though he did not explain how that might be done.

Relevant city government personnel visited Lawai's family in Taoyuan's Zhongli District on Dec. 26 and gave them a consolation payment, the mayor said.

Lawai, a member of the Indigenous community, allegedly fell from a scaffold while setting up the stage on Dec. 25, 2024, and died despite receiving emergency treatment.

His family has questioned why the company did not provide him with Labor Occupational Accident Insurance as required by law, and why work to build the stage was allowed to resume on Dec. 27, just two days after the accident.

Taipei Labor Inspection Office head Liang Tsang-chi (梁蒼淇) said Saturday that based on preliminary findings of an investigation, the contractor had failed to ensure that all workers used a safety harness and should be held accountable for this negligence.

The work was allowed to resume, Liang said, after his office had ensured that the company took measures to prevent workers from falling and effectively eliminated the cause of the initial suspension of work.

Liang said his office has convened a meeting to review the "major occupational accident," and that a report on its cause and responsible parties will be completed soon and delivered to the central government and forwarded to Lawai's family.

Meanwhile, Ark of Redemption has launched a hoodie in memory of its frontman that can be purchased in its Instagram bio. The band says all the revenue from the sales will be used to fund Lawai's funeral.