By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Panic briefly rippled through crowds in Zuoying on Feb. 14 after fireworks launched during a major temple procession appeared to veer toward spectator areas, prompting some attendees to flee. City officials say no injuries have been formally reported so far, but an investigation has been launched amid questions over safety controls and on-site execution of the fireworks display.
The incident occurred during the “Qingcheng Fire-Entering and Enshrinement Peace Procession” (慶成入火安座平安遶境大典) organized by Zuoying Taizi Temple. According to the Kaohsiung City Government, police from the Zuoying Precinct have begun reviewing surveillance footage and conducting field interviews, with the case to be examined under possible public endangerment provisions if violations are confirmed. The city stressed that the temple had legally applied for permission in advance and that the fire department approved the safety plan in accordance with the Fireworks and Firecrackers Management Act.
However, preliminary findings suggest discrepancies between the approved safety plan and what occurred on the ground. Fire officials indicated that one fireworks installation — described as a crane-mounted spinning pyrotechnic wheel — was approved with a safety control distance of 42 meters, but was reportedly set off at an actual distance of about 88 meters without corresponding crowd control measures. If verified, this could constitute a violation of Article 16 of the Act, carrying potential fines between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000 for the responsible fireworks contractor.
Festival-goers and online footage circulating after the event present a more chaotic picture than the official timeline alone conveys, showing fireworks traveling horizontally toward onlookers and sparking confusion among families attending the procession. Religious parades in southern Taiwan often include close-range pyrotechnics as part of traditional ritual spectacle, which can blur the line between expected cultural practice and modern public-safety standards — especially in densely crowded urban settings like Lotus Pond and the surrounding Zuoying temple district.
Police noted that they had convened coordination meetings with temple organizers and relevant agencies before the event and conducted on-site inspections. During the procession itself, officers also cited multiple unrelated violations, including 56 helmet infractions, 14 red-light violations, six illegal vendor cases, and two overtime procession violations, with additional environmental citations issued for noise and waste management breaches.
Authorities say the ongoing probe will determine whether the incident stemmed from a technical misfire, contractor negligence, or inadequate on-site control, outcomes that would carry very different legal and regulatory consequences.
Sources: Yahoo News, KH City Govt, CTV News
