By RK Shih / Staff
PINGTUNG — A fire broke out yesterday (Feb. 27) along the Gaoping River (高屏溪) embankment near the dredging access road at Lengshuikeng (冷水坑) in Jiuru Township (九如鄉), with flames spreading rapidly and thick smoke affecting nearby air quality. Ligang Precinct police traced the incident and found that three men had allegedly set fire to nearby grass to flush out game animals for hunting, but lost control of the blaze, triggering a large-scale fire. The suspects were arrested and referred for investigation on suspicion of public endangerment and violations of the Firearms, Ammunition and Knives Control Act (槍砲彈藥刀械管制條例). Prosecutors were also asked to seek pretrial detention.
Police said they received a notification from the fire department at 8:42 p.m. on Feb. 27 that suspicious people and vehicles were seen near the ignition site. Officers arrested three suspects identified as Chuang (莊), age 43; Chung (鍾), age 55; and Hsieh (謝), age 68. Earlier that morning, around 9 a.m., the trio had allegedly gone to the area to set traps intended to catch wild boar and birds. Investigators believe they used a lighter to ignite the surrounding dry grass so that animals fleeing the flames could be hunted. Due to recent dry weather, the fire spread quickly.
Police also seized two hunting guns, 70 steel balls, and a lighter from Chung’s small truck. Also, reportedly found were 110 Hilti-style cartridges. Initial inspections indicated the firearms are structurally intact; they will be sent for forensic testing to determine functionality and origin.
Hilti-style cartridges refer to industrial power loads originally designed for powder-actuated tools (nail guns). Under the Firearms, Ammunition, and Knives Control Act, possessing these cartridges with the intent to use them in a firearm, or possessing the modified tools to fire them, is a serious criminal offense.
The suspects reportedly admitted to using lighters to ignite the dry grass to smoke out wild boars and birds, but the flames quickly spiraled out of control due to strong winds along the Gaoping River. Police warned that the current dry conditions make riverbeds and grassy areas highly prone to rapid fire spread.
