TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwanese authorities have imposed a fine of $75,000 on golf ball manufacturer Launch Technologies Co. following a devastating factory fire that claimed nine lives, with one person still missing. The authorities have also issued warnings of potential criminal charges for serious violations related to hazardous material storage.
According to the mayor of Pingtung county, Launch Technologies Co. was found to be storing an excessive amount of hazardous material on its premises, approximately 30 times beyond the legal limit. The company had 3,000 tons of organic peroxides on-site, whereas the permitted limit is 100 tons, as per Taiwan’s regulations.
Mayor Chou Chun-mi declared that those responsible for these violations would be held accountable for public endangerment and negligent manslaughter. As of now, company officials have not provided a statement or comment regarding the fines and potential charges.
The cause of the factory fire, which occurred on Friday, remains unclear. The incident involved two explosions within the burning building, which resulted in the entrapment of firefighters and workers under rubble. Tragically, among the nine casualties were four firefighters, with over 100 others sustaining injuries.
Organic peroxides, known for their high flammability, are commonly used in various rubber products, including golf ball cores. Launch Technologies is a major global golf ball manufacturer, responsible for producing 20 percent of the world’s supply in the previous year.
Taiwanese law mandates that organic peroxides should be stored in a separate warehouse building, but Launch Technologies disregarded this requirement by housing the material on the first floor of the factory building, Mayor Chou stated.
In addition to the hefty fine, the company faced larger penalties for failing to designate a point person to assist in firefighting efforts and for not providing a complete inventory of the organic peroxides on-site when firefighters arrived.
Notably, Launch Technologies has a history of fines and violations. Since 2018, the company has been fined for safety, health, labor conditions, and air pollution violations. In 2011, the company was ordered by a court to compensate workers who had sued Launch Technologies for violations related to overtime work and unhealthy working conditions. Company general manager Lu Ying-cheng mentioned recent improvements to the work environment during a news conference on Sunday.
