Taiwan Water Park Engulfed in Flame; 516 injured, over 180 in intensive care

[jimmy olsen]

The video is one of the most horrifying I've ever seen, despite the lack of detail. The crowd was sprayed with some kind of powder that ignited and set the entire audience up in flames.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/tally-injured-rises-more-500-after-taiwan-water-park-fire-n383226

TAIPEI — The number of people injured in a fire at a Taiwan water amusement park rose to 516 on Sunday, government officials said, with more than 180 still in intensive care.

Media reported four mainland Chinese and two foreigners were among those injured after Saturday's fire, during a party where up to 1,000 revelers were sprayed with colored powder as they danced to music, seeking to escape the summer heat.

The blaze, which broke out around 8.30 p.m. at the Formosa Fun Coast water park on the outskirts of the capital, Taipei, is suspected to have been caused by an explosion of the powder, local government official Lin Chieh-yu told Reuters.

"It remains under investigation as to what made the powder explode," he added, however.

Authorities have banned the use of the powder until the investigation is completed.

"The next few days will be a critical time for the injured," Taiwan Premier Mao Chi-kuo told reporters, adding that 410 people were still in hospital on Sunday, with 194 being treated for serious injuries.

In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, rescuers treated hundreds of people, most of them aged between 20 and 30, wearing wet swimsuits and lying on inflatable plastic doughnuts. Television showed images of people running from sky-high flames.

"There was blood and people were on fire," one injured man said.

No deaths have been reported, but victims of the incident suffered burns to the limbs, with some passing out from the pain while others had burned clothes stuck to their skin, media reports and pictures showed.

"She is young. A student," sobbed the father of an 18-year-old girl with burns on 80 percent of her body, according to television footage.

Taipei has sweltered in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent weeks.

[Monoriu]

Yeah it is all over the news here.  A few HKers are among the injured.  People suffer horrific, whole-body burns 

The act of spraying powder on the audience during these events should be banned. 

[Ideologue]

Damn.

[The Brain]

Did they comply with regulations in place to prevent powder explosions?

[HisMajestyBOB]

Yeah it is all over the news here.  A few HKers are among the injured.  People suffer horrific, whole-body burns 

The act of spraying powder on the audience during these events should be banned.

Most places that use such powder use non-flammable, non-explosive powder.
I'm thinking some shortcuts were taken.

[Ed Anger]

Great White was there.

[Norgy]

A water park engulfed in flames is a rather less watery park than most water parks.

[Eddie Teach]

Great White was there.

They were covering Deep Purple's classic, Smoke on the Water.

[Iormlund]

A water park engulfed in flames is a rather less watery park than most water parks.

All I can think of is the IT Crowd episode. I'm a terrible person.

[Razgovory]

Yeah it is all over the news here.  A few HKers are among the injured.  People suffer horrific, whole-body burns 

The act of spraying powder on the audience during these events should be banned.

Powder is kind of a vague word here.

[Josquius]

but...but....water!

All I can think of is the IT Crowd episode. I'm a terrible person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy_BKKnHgas

Now it all looks rather...ehh.......

[Monoriu]

From what I have read in the newspaper, it seems a lot of these places use powder made from corn.  Because the powder is sprayed onto humans, so it is best if it is edible.  But that also means it is flammable.  Initial speculation is that the organiser sprayed too much powder within too short a period, and somebody probably tried to smoke or something. 

[dps]

Sounds like a story that should have come out of Cleveland.

[Admiral Yi]

What is the powder intended to do?

[Monoriu]

What is the powder intended to do?

Some people like to appear like this -