TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Three tragic fires unfolded in Taiwan over the past three years, resulting in the loss of over 60 lives and drawing attention to the need for improved fire safety standards.
However, the Firefighting Equipment Personnel Act, a law related to installing and maintaining firefighting equipment, has yet to be enacted since 1999.
The most recent fire in Taiwan was the Changhua food factory fire, which claimed the lives of nine people, including four Filipino migrant workers.
In April 2020, a fire broke out at Cashbox Partyworld KTV, one of Taiwan's largest karaoke chains, leaving six dead. And in October 2021, a fire broke out in a 13-story building in Kaohsiung, which resulted in the loss of 46 lives.
These fires were deadly due to the buildings' poor management of firefighting equipment.
For example, the KTV had five major fire safety equipment systems switched off, including the automatic fire alarm, smoke exhaust, and automatic sprinklers. In the case of the Kaohsiung fire, the cause was arson and poor fire management. Investigations revealed that some fire doors could not be closed or had been removed.
Despite repeated calls from the executive and legislative departments to quickly pass the Firefighting Equipment Personnel Act, the conflict between professional and temporary personnel has stalled the legislative process.
The Fire Protection Engineer's Association and temporary personnel composed of different job associations have their agendas and rights to fight for, making it difficult to make any progress in passing the law.
It has been over 24 years since the proposal of the Firefighting Equipment Personnel Act. The government and associations should prioritize people's lives and safety and work together to prevent future disasters.
