Inferno hits dancers
Hundreds hurt at Taiwan water park Flames came from powdered spray
A FREAK inferno at a Taiwanese water park left 516 people injured Saturday as terrified revelers scrambled for their lives from the fast-moving flames, officials said.
Amateur video shot at the Formosa Water Park indicates the fire erupted as organizers of the “Color Play Asia” event sprayed a colored powder on the crowd of about 1,000 dancers.
“It started on the left side of the stage,” one witness told a Taiwanese television station. “At the beginning I thought it was part of the special effects of the party.
“But then I realized there was something wrong, and people started screaming and running.”
The red, green and purple powder seemed to combust in midair, creating what some reports described as a cloud of fire descending on the crowded dance floor.
The Ministry of Health & Welfare reported 183 of the injured were now in intensive care units at local hospitals. Eight people had life-threatening injuries, according to the island’s official Central News Agency.
Incredibly, no one died in the fiery disaster — although some victims reportedly suffered burns over 40% of their bodies as they ran through the falling flames.
“Our initial understanding is this explosion and fire . . . was caused by the powder spray,” local fire officials told the BBC. “It could have been due to the heat of the lights on the stage.”
Eric Chu, the mayor of New Tapei City, told a news conference that the park was closed immediately for a thorough probe.
Investigators quickly focused on five suspects: The “Color Play” organizer and four technicians working the event, according to the official Central News agency.
Event officials issued a quick apology and promised their cooperation with fire officials.
Rescuers used inflatable rafts from the water park to lug the burn victims away from the raging blaze. And many of the victims were clad only in bathing suits, making them more vulnerable to the flames.
A photo taken after the event showed charred curtains around the perimeter of the vacant dance floor, along with flip-flops abandoned in the desperate rush for safety.
The worst of the injured were two young women with burns over 80% of their bodies after the fire erupted, the Morning Post newspaper reported.
The pounding club music played on as the crowd scrambled madly and the blaze was quickly extinguished.