Two questioned after 46 killed in Taiwan building blaze
- Prosecutors in Kaohsiung interview a man and a woman in investigation into fire that destroyed dilapidated structure
- The former department store was home to some of the southern city’s most underprivileged residents
The couple did not answer questions from the media on Friday morning when they were brought to the prosecutor’s office in the city of Kaohsiung on suspicion of endangering the public and negligence resulting in death.
The deadly blaze broke out early on Thursday, destroying several floors of the dilapidated 40-year-old Cheng Chung Cheng building, which housed some of the more underprivileged residents of Kaohsiung. The fire also injured 41 people.
The former department store fell into disuse after an economic downturn in the area and had been poorly maintained for years.
The prosecutor’s office said on Thursday that two people suspected of causing the fire were being questioned by police, as well as four eyewitnesses.
“The prosecution police are actively collecting relevant evidence including questioning eyewitnesses. We hope we can make sense of the case and find out the truth,” Hung Rui-fen, the lead prosecutor for the investigation, said visiting the wreckage in the morning.