TAIPEI: The mayor of Taiwan's second largest city was questioned by prosecutors on Thursday over claims of negligence in the municipal government's handling of fatal gas blasts nearly two months ago.
Mayor Chen Chu of Kaohsiung city in the south was summoned by prosecutors after several local city councillors accused her and three other officials of malfeasance leading to a series of explosions that killed 32 people and wounded more than 300.
Her government has come under criticism for failing to prevent the disaster during the three hours after gas leaks from underground industrial pipes were first reported on July 31.
"We explained in detail to prosecutors based on the facts over the claims raised by the accusers the law will decide whether we (committed) malfeasance or not," Chen told reporters after the interrogation.
Chen added that the city's fire department and other officials were on the scene immediately after the unidentified gas leaks were reported and that she has submitted relevant phone records as proof to prosecutors.
The powerful gas explosions the worst in Taiwan's history sparked massive fires that tore through Kaohsiung, leaving trenches running down the middle of some streets and throwing vehicles onto the roofs of buildings several stories high.
Kaohsiung's deputy mayor and three other officials in the city government had resigned to take political responsiblity for the accident.
Kaohsiung lies adjacent to a huge petrochemical complex housing dozens of plants, and many pipelines run under the densely-packed city.
The city government has blamed LCY Chemical Corp. for the explosions, saying around 10 tonnes of propene may have leaked from pipelines operated by the company in the hours before the first explosion.
President Ma Ying-jeou has vowed a full investigation into the cause of the accident and a review of the city's gas supply network. (AFP)
