Number of victims of Taiwan water park explosion exceeds 500

The fire occurred on Saturday night at the disco at Formosa Water Park during the Color Play Asia festival that brought together about 4.500 people.

At least 510 people have sustained injuries and burns of varying severity during the blast in the water park outside Taiwan’s capital Taipei, the local Ministry of Health and Welfare said on Sunday.

The victims have been taken to 38 hospitals where they were rendered medical assistance. At least 183 people are in the intensive care unit, some of the patients with burns will need a skin graft surgery. Among the victims are two foreigners and four tourists from the Chinese mainland. No casualties have been reported.

The fire occurred on Saturday night at the disco at Formosa Water Park during the Color Play Asia festival that brought together about 4.500 people. Media reports say some powdery substance exploded in the air.

The police detained the event’s organizers who are being interrogated. The city’s Mayor Eric Zhu Lilun who visited the site of the tragedy has described it as the most serious incident in the history of the city.