A landlady fined 24 times for public-safety-related violations is being held incommunicado alongside her tenant by prosecutors in Taichung over an apartment fire Sunday that left six residents dead and six injured.
According to police, after being summoned for questioning Monday morning, the tenant, a man surnamed Cheng (?), confessed to setting a pile of recycling in the building's communal areas on fire.
Cheng had said he started the fire because his landlady, surnamed Chuang (?), was attempting to evict him for keeping a pet goat and late payment of rent, according to the police.
On Monday, it was also discovered that Chuang had received 24 public safety-related fines in the last two years due to conditions in the building, and had been charged with endangering public safety late last year.
According to Cho Chun-chung (???), deputy chief prosecutor at the Taichung District Prosecutors Office, and the Taichung City Fire Bureau, the piles of flammable debris may have hindered rescue efforts and contributed to residents' inability to escape the building.
At a press conference Tuesday, Cho said Cheng could be sentenced to at least five years in prison if found guilty of crimes including homicide, attempted homicide, and arson.
Meanwhile, Chuang is likely to face charges of negligent homicide, as well as evacuation safety violations and inappropriate disposal of recycled materials, Cho said.
Due to the severity of their crimes and the evidence collected, prosecutors were concerned that both suspects may attempt to flee after bail, and may engage in witness tampering and collusion, Cho said.
As a result, Cho said prosecutors had filed to have the two suspects detained and held incommunicado, which was approved by the Taichung District Court on Tuesday.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel