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Taichung officials offer to resign
following blaze
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff Reporter, with CNA
Three senior Greater Taichung officials have offered to resign over a deadly
nightclub blaze amid heavy criticism of the local administration¡¦s safety
inspections of the venue.
Greater Taichung Deputy Mayor Hsiao Chia-chi (¿½®aºX), Economic Development
Department chief Chu Hui-lan (¦¶¿·Äõ) and Urban Development Department chief Huang
Chong-dian (¶À±R¨å) offered their verbal resignations on Sunday and written ones on
Monday, Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (J§Ó±j) said yesterday.
Hu said he would wait for the results of an investigation before deciding
whether to accept the resignations.
Hu has been under mounting pressure to take political responsibility for the
fire ¡X the result of a fire-juggling act that went wrong.
The nightclub had passed 21 safety inspections over the past five years despite
having flammable foam in its ceiling and walls and difficult-to-access emergency
exits.
Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (¦¿©y¾ì) rebutted remarks by the Greater
Taichung Government that the ministry had approved nightclubs in residential
areas.
As to why the Greater Taichung Government had allowed a nightclub to open in a
residential area, Hsiao said the city government had asked the ministry to
define the term ¡§bar,¡¨ as the law prohibits bars in residential areas.
In its reply, the ministry said food and beverage establishments under a certain
size could be opened in residential areas, but not bars.
However, the ministry said that ¡§whether an establishment which sells alcoholic
beverages is a food and beverage establishment [or an alcoholic beverage
establishment] is for the city government to decide, based on relevant laws.¡¨
¡§We interpreted the ministry¡¦s reply as saying that it¡¦s up to us to decide
whether an establishment selling alcohol is the same as an establishment selling
food,¡¨ Hsiao said. ¡§Based on the Ministry of Economic Affairs¡¦ definition, an
¡¥alcoholic beverage establishment¡¦ is one with hostess service, while one
selling alcoholic beverages without hostess service is a food and beverage
establishment.¡¨
Jiang said the city government had misinterpreted laws and the ministry¡¦s
response to its question two years ago.
¡§We ask local governments to define whether an establishment is a bar or a
restaurant, because local governments have to make the decision based on the
conditions of the establishment,¡¨ Jiang said. ¡§Basically, an establishment that
mainly sells food is a restaurant even if it also serves alcoholic beverages,
but one that mainly sells alcohol is an alcoholic beverage establishment.¡¨
The minister said the ALA nightclub ¡§was more akin to a bar.¡¨
Jiang said the ministry would amend the Fire Service Act (®ø¨¾ªk) to prohibit
performances using fire at bars, nightclubs, or restaurants, and conduct an
inspection of all nightclubs and bars in the country, to see if they are
officially registered as other establishments.
¡§We¡¦ve learned a lesson from this tragic event and hope to take the opportunity
to make changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future,¡¨ Jiang said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said the resignations did not
address the root cause of the problem.
¡§The resignations are no longer the major issue. The most important issue is
whether Hu can give residents a clear explanation about ¡K who was responsible,¡¨
DPP spokesperson Lin Yu-chang (ªL¥k©÷) said.
Lin said Hu owed an explanation Taichung residents as to how the tragedy
occurred and whether it resulted from official negligence.
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