Prosecutors investigate manslaughter in deadly Taichung explosion

Taichung, Feb. 14 (CNA) Prosecutors investigating an explosion at a department store in Taichung that caused four deaths Thursday are looking into whether manslaughter and other criminal offences were committed, they said in a statement.

Forensic examinations conducted since Thursday night indicate the four people died of multiple organ failure in the explosion at the Taichung Zhonggan Store of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store chain, Taichung District Prosecutors Office said in a statement Friday.

Two department store employees and a couple from Macau died after suffering trauma to their heads, chest and abdomen following a suspected gas explosion on the 12th floor, the prosecutors office said.

The body of a 24-year-old female employee surnamed Lin (林) was found in a stairwell between the 11th and 12th floors, while her 34-year-old male colleague surnamed Chen (陳) was found near a fire door on the 12th floor, according to local authorities.

A 58-year-old woman and her 56-year-old husband from Macau died after being hit by falling debris from the explosion when they were walking past the department store on a family trip to Taiwan, local authorities said.

Five other family members were also injured.

As of 6 p.m. Friday, the explosion had resulted in four deaths and 35 injuries, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Among the injured, five are in intensive care, while six are in general wards at different hospitals, the ministry said in an update to reporters.

After interviewing 16 witnesses overnight, prosecutors, the police and local fire bureau officials returned to the department store and examined the scene as part of a criminal investigation into the explosion.

Taichung City Fire Bureau Director-General Sun Fu-you (孫福佑) told reporters Friday that a fine of NT$300,000 (US$9,171.24) has been issued after investigators found that firefighting equipment, including gas leak detectors, was turned off on the 12th floor, which, along with the 11th floor, was being renovated.

Sun made the statement after attending a briefing for Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), during which National Fire Agency official Cheng Chih-chiang (鄭志強) said renovation workers first smelled gas and asked where the gas valve was about 20 minutes before the explosion, citing witness statements.

The fire investigators' initial theory about the deadly incident points to a gas explosion, but the actual cause will only be confirmed by prosecutors after further investigation, Sun said.