12 indicted for gas pipeline explosions

• Publication Date： 2015-01-16
• Last updated：2019-01-05
• View count：1597

12 indicted for gas pipeline explosions On 18th December 2014, Taiwan Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office indicted twelve people, including Bowei Lee (李謀偉), Chairman of LCY Chemical Corp. (李長榮化工公司) , his five employees, three employees of China General Terminal and Distribution Corp. (CGTD華運公司), a transporter of petrochemical materials and three former officials of Public Works Bureau of Kaohsiung City Hall responsible for overseeing the construction of the underground culverts 23 years ago, who were identified as the main cause of the lethal explosions in Kaohsiung that left 32 dead and about 321 injured. After having closely examined the rust-eaten propene pipelines and culverts, prosecutors confirmed that the propene pipelines were concealed within the culvert for over 20 years, and humidity accelerated the speed of corrosion, causing the pipeline to weaken and eventually leading to a fatal propene leak from the ruptured pipeline. Furthermore, the Kaohsiung City Public Works Bureau, which was responsible for the construction and maintenance of the culverts, could not shirk its responsibility. No cause to indict Kaohsiung mayor in gas explosions After further investigation, Prosecutors dropped charges against Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) and four other senior City Hall officials on the grounds that they had not deliberately committed abandonment of duty when their handling of the apparent gas leak just before the blasts. Prosecutors found that Mayor Chen had contacted the deputy mayor and head of the city's Mass Rapid Transit Bureau immediately after she was informed of the leak on the night of the incident. After the explosions, Mayor Chen issued a directive for the chiefs of all the relevant agencies to remain at the disaster response center and she sought emergency assistance from the mayors of the neighboring Tainan City and Pingtung County. Gratitude to ITRI and MIRDC To confirm the cause of gas explosion, prosecutors requires assistance of metal material experts. Prosecutors show their gratitude to Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Metal Industries and Research and Develop Center(MIRDC) for their analysis and waving the fee of indentifcation.