China's police calls for strengthened safety after Taiwan water park blaze

The fire department of China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Wednesday urged fire departments at all levels to learn lessons from the water park blaze in Taiwan, preventing similar cases.

An unidentified official from the MPS said the case showed that the event organizers did not know the danger of dust explosions, and fire fighting equipment on the scene was insufficient. A plan for emergencies was also absent.

A fire broke out at a water park in Taiwan Saturday night as the park was staging a party that saw a large amount of theatrical colored powder ejected from a stage. The powder caught fire before landing on the audience.

Nearly 500 people were injured in the blaze. One died in hospital.

The MPS said in recent days similar events were held or would be held in Beijing, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Shenyang and other cities, and at those events fluorescent powder, corn flour, magnesium powder and aluminite powder were used with great fire risk.

The fire department of the MPS urged related departments at all levels to check all fire risks at mass events, strengthen supervision of fire prevention in related occasions, and clarify responsibility of sponsors.

Fire departments will strengthen supervision of flammable powder, banning the use of such powder on mass events.

Fire departments will also strengthen checks of all applications for such mass events. Endi